Perfect
by CrimsonSympathy
Summary: [[JS]] Jareth and Sarah are finding their way through a corrupted Labyrinth. Jareth has been challenged to win Sarah's heart... but can he? Rated R for a good reason. [[COMPLETE!]]
1. Wedding Shopping

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth nor profit from it in any way. Just doing this for fun.

A/N: This is a spur-of-the-moment type thing. I might not finish, but here's to hoping.

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"I don't want to wear a suit," Toby complained, making a face at the beautifully displayed rack of men's clothing.

"Well," Sarah said quickly, "Then you're not going to be in the ceremony."

He stared at her for a moment, turning the idea over in his head. He loved his sister and wanted to make her happy, but he had never liked business attire. It bored him. Sarah had her arms crossed over her stomach, staring down her nose and him. He grinned, "Alright."

Sarah picked out a few rather standard black suits and sent Toby into the dressing room. She waited with her arms crossed, smiling pleasantly when the lady at the counter would glance over. They were the only customers in the place and the woman at the counter had the idea that since Sarah and Toby were not properly dressed, they obviously didn't have the money to afford these things. She was right, it was Sarah's fiancé that was paying for it, not Sarah herself, but he had given her one of his credit cards and an amount to spend.

Toby was eight, turning nine soon, and Sarah herself was twenty-three. It had been almost nine years since she had concurred the Labyrinth. That's what she would have said, if she still believed in it.

After her travels, she seemed to forget. All the friends she had made visited farther and farther between, until she didn't see any of them at all. Her mind had turned from the fantasies that she had held so dear to other things. She made friends with the girls in the High School. Soon she was going to the mall, buying makeup and going to movies. Dating boys, going to sleepovers and gossiping. Her parents had actually embraced the change. She hadn't like babysitting Toby, but she wasn't so strange about it anymore, saying how she really didn't have to endure it if she didn't have to. Instead she sat on the phone for hours talking with her girlfriends or watched the latest sitcom on television.

Her stepmother had grown even fonder of her, and they got along pretty good now. Her father had been hospitalized when Sarah was twenty and it had made the two women see each other in a new light. They were brought together by misery, but now they cared for each other more then over. Her father was fine now, it had been a heart attack that resulted in open-heart surgery, and he was pleased to see that the two women were getting along fine.

Sarah moved out a little after that, taking courses in a local college for aspiring chefs. She was two months away from graduation and starting her own business.

"Sarah..." Toby groaned behind her. She jumped, startled out of her thoughts, "I'm _not_ wearing this."

Sarah thought he looked cute, "Ah, come on, it looks good on you. I think Maria will like it."

Toby flushed a bright red and stared at the ground, "I do not like her."

"But she likes _you_," Sarah teased in a sing-song voice.

"Shut up." He grumbled, then looked up, "I'll wear this once, only once, during your wedding."

"Deal," Sarah held out her hand and Toby took it. He was undressed and in his regular clothes in record time. They paid for the suit, went through a drivethrough for food, and then went home.


	2. The New Neighbor

Disclaimer: See page one.

A/N: Things speed up a bit in this chapter. Apologize for shortness and lack of interesting-ness in chapter one, but you have to explain things somewhere, eh?

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"I'm home!" Sarah yelled, tossing her keys onto the table in the hallway and dropping the heavy grocery bags onto the nearest chair. She heard Michael coming down the stairs two at a time and turned, smiling. "Hi, honey."

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her softly, "Hi. How was your day?"

Sarah stepped away enough to take off her business jacket and sling it over one of the chairs in the dining room table. "Fine. Could you get the groceries?"

"Sure thing," he picked them up easily and carried them to the kitchen, where they both started unloading and putting them away. "How's the little man?"

"He's good. We picked out his suit today. He looks fantastic."

Michael was moving things around in the refrigerator, "How's the rest of the family?"

"Same ol', same ol'," said Sarah, smiling at him as she handed him packages of raw hamburger meat. "They got a new dog."

"What's it's name?"

"Bruno, and it's some sort of hound. It's... red." Sarah paused for a moment, two cans of peas in her hands. The name had struck something in her, but she wasn't sure what.

"Honey?"

Sarah jumped and looked over, eyes wide.

"Do you mind handing me the bread?"

"Oh!" Sarah set the cans down and reached for the bread. "Here."

Later that night, as she and Michael lay together, Sarah didn't think one single thing about the sudden déjà vu she had experienced when thinking of her families new dog. She lay there, curled in her fiancé's arms and dreamed dreams of dancing in a ballroom, with a strange man in her arms, but when she woke up she didn't remember it. She hummed to herself as she made breakfast.

Michael came up and kissed her, "Good morning."

Sarah smiled, "Morning."

"I have that business trip today. I won't be back for a week. Think you can take care of yourself?" Michael was going to grab something to eat on his way to the airport. He had woken up late and panicked. Now he was rushing to grab the last of his stuff. He gave a prayer of thanks that he had remembered to pack last night.

"I'll be fine," she said, waving her hand, "Have as much fun as you can." She kissed him hurriedly and waved him out the door with a spatula still coated with eggs. "Bye!"

He waved at her before closing the front door, and the silence that settled in so quickly sent a shiver down her spine. Sarah turned back to the kitchen and finished making her eggs.

Sarah was living off of Michael until she finished cooking school, at which time she would go about with her own business. At the moment she was trying to figure out how she would go about doing it. She definitely wanted a restaurant, where she would be the head chef, but some of the prices were just outlandish. She couldn't see how she could possibly afford it without taking out a very large loan.

The doorbell rang and she jumped. She was still wearing her nightgown—a plain flannel top and bottom along with matching robe—and couldn't think of who would be calling this early. Then again, it could just be the mailman with an extremely large package that needed signing for. She got up from the table and hurried to the door.

When she opened the front door the man who had rung the doorbell was already half way down the walk. "Hello!" Sarah called, her hands resting on the inside of the doorframe.

The man turned, and he smiled. Sarah felt another shiver go up her spine, but this time it wasn't about a sudden silence. It was about a sudden... déjà vu. Two days in a row. This was a record. "Hello," he said, coming back up the walk. He wore black leather gloves along with his sleek black business suit, "I just moved to this neighborhood. I thought I should introduce myself."

"Oh!" Sarah smiled easily and stepped out of her house. The man was a good few inches taller then her, so that she had to look up to him. His suit was the only thing business-like about him. He wore his hair in a very 80's rock star fashion, one of those styles very hard to explain. She grinned, "My name is Sarah."

"Hello," he said again, but this time reaching for her hand, "My name is Jareth. Pleased to meet you."

Sarah's breath halted for a moment when his lips brushed the skin of her hand, never taking his eyes from her. It wasn't just the kiss that had done it... it was the _name_. She recognized it. "Do I... know you?" She smiled uneasily, and he lifted his head. He still held her hand in his own, and didn't seem to have any intention of letting it go. He traced the place where he had kissed her with his thumb. It made that shiver dance along her spine again. She pulled her hand away.

Jareth shook his head, "Not unless you recognize me, no."

Sarah's smile brightened, "Well... Michael isn't here right now—he's my fiancé—but he'll be back in a week. Which house is yours? I should bring him by once he gets back."

Jareth's smile was easy, "I'm in that house," he pointed to the one directly across the street from hers. "It fit me best."

Sarah unconsciously rubbed the spot on her hand where his lips and fingers had touched her. His eyes flickered to the movement and she stopped, "Well, it's nice meeting you. I'll invite you over to dinner sometime, okay?"

"Sounds... good," his smile seemed odd now, but Sarah couldn't put her finger on how. The feeling of déjà vu just wouldn't go away, and she was starting to get annoyed. "I'll see you around," he said, brushing at his forehead with his fingers like he would lift a hat if there was one to lift. He smiled and this time it was brilliant. "Good day, Sarah."

"Good day, Jareth." She gave him a small wave before stepping back inside and closing the door with her hip. The day had started off strange, but by the time her stepmother had called her to discuss bridesmaids dresses, all thoughts of the strange new neighbor as well as the déjà vu was brushed aside. It was amazing how a good dress can do that to a person.


	3. Recognition, Discovery and Shock

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, the characters Sarah and Jareth nor do I profit from this in any way. All for fun.

A/N: Jareth's perspective on this one, mostly. Isn't he fun to tinker with? I thought so...

* * *

Jareth's house wasn't furnished in the least. The walls were coated with a film of dust, the previous owner long gone. He hadn't exactly bought the house, he had just moved in. He knew that the above world wouldn't understand his position. That and they would have no idea who he was. So many complications that he had just not even bothered. If there was a problem with this house, he'd simply move. But he hoped by that time he wouldn't have to. He hoped that soon, very soon, he'd be back in his own kingdom.

Luckily he didn't have to go through much trouble for his clothes. Some of his old powers still worked in the above world, and among them was the ability to shape any clothes he wanted. It wasn't really his ability, he wasn't born with it. An old woman had given it to him after he had driven the rebels out of her land. Since it wasn't tied to the position of goblin king, he had kept it. At the time he had thought it useless, but now it ended up being quite handy.

He sat on the old and musty mattress in the middle of the living room floor and fought with his emotions. What he had really wanted to do when he saw Sarah again—alive and well, very well—was to kiss her. Not the paltry kiss he had given her on her left hand, but a kiss for all the years he had spent trying to forget her. A king cannot rule when his head is full of dreams of a silly girl. That's what he had tried to tell himself. Now he wished he had kept more of a watch on her.

Fiancé—he thought bitterly—what kind of a man deserves my Sarah? If only he had watched her, then perhaps this engagement wouldn't have happened. How soon were they to be wed?

No, interrupted a stern voice within his head, this isn't what I need to be thinking about. I'm only retrieving Sarah because she's the only one to ever get through the Labyrinth.

Jareth scowled at the ground and flicked his fingers. He was back in his traditional clothing, so that one who peered into his window would think he was dressing up for some play. But that didn't matter, none of it mattered. The sooner he was out of this fowl and orderly place the better. He didn't see why he didn't just grab Sarah where she stood on the porch. "It would have been inappropriate," he whispered to himself, and then scoffed. "But what's appropriate these days?"

It was the rebels that had done it. It had all started with Sarah and her infiltration of his castle. No one had done it before and so the goblins began to think that their king was weak. More and more people were turning up to be the rebels, until he was surrounded by them. All lead by one man... Dionysus. One of the foulest, most loathsome creatures Jareth had ever set his eyes on. The only reason he allowed the creature to live in the first place was his handiness with a blade and his skill at disciplining new soldiers.

That was a mistake—he thought bitterly—a big mistake.

He lifted his hand a crystal appeared. In it he saw his castle, run over by the rebels, led by his ex-general. He would have his head. But the anger was washed away when the crystal showed him his lands, and the people there. They suffered. Many of them were rebels by the time Jareth had left, but it looked like now they had a change of heart. The crystal flashed on a couple in the dump, huddled over the limp figure of their baby. The troops of Dionysus's rebels had crushed him, and they hated him for it. They wished for Jareth again. They wished for that sliver of order he gave.

Anarchy—Jareth thought with another twisted scowl—the fool has led them all to anarchy.

It wasn't particularly shocking. Dionysus wasn't the most intelligent of his men, but he had been crafty. Like a fox. But he had weaknesses, many of them. Beautiful women, for one, and he always had a soft-spot for wine. Two fairly large flaws for the ruler of goblin city.

Jareth smile and closed his fist around the crystal right as it flashed to Sarah, brushing out her hair. She wasn't in her nightgown anymore. She had changed into jeans and a t-shirt. He thought it appropriate. If he had to steal her away, it would be best if she was in something more suitable for going through the Labyrinth.

Jareth stood and brushed the dirt off his clothes. Now he was going to do what he should have done when he first rang her doorbell. He was going to take her to Underground, and she was to help him. She didn't really have a choice in the matter, anyway.

As Jareth was heading across the street again he realized he hadn't changed back into the suit. He didn't much care, either, now that he thought of it.

Sarah was sitting in her living room, a book open on her lap when the doorbell rang again. But this time she didn't have time to get up before the door was open and Jareth walked through, wearing the strangest costume. That flash of strange recognition startled her again, before the situation took hold of her, "Jareth! What are you doing in my house?" Her eyes flickered to the cabinet behind her, where Michael kept his guns, as Jareth strode across the living room towards her, his eyes flashing.

Sarah had time to stumble towards the cabinet before strong hands caught a hold of her and turned her around fiercely. "You need to remember," his face was so close to hers that she could barely focus on his eyes, which were blazing with need. "You need to remember the Labyrinth, Sarah, or else you can't help me. I need you to help me." Each word was spaced, as though each time he breathed he could only speak one word. His entire body was rippling with some unreleased emotion.

"I. . . I don't under—"

"You _have_ to understand, Sarah!" He almost screamed, bending towards her so that she had to bend back. It was as though they were doing a strange dance rehearsal in the middle of the living room floor, "I know you have it in you. You recognize me, don't you?"

Sarah opened her mouth, closed it, and opened it again, "I—I thought. . . but I don't know—"

"The _Labyrinth_, child!" Jareth shook her, "Remember? You wanted to rescue the boy—the _boy_! Toby!"

"Toby? The Labyrinth? I don't—oh. . . " her eyes widened, "Oh, god, no." She stared at him, the goblin king, her eyes wide and glistening with unshed tears, her mouth hanging open. "The goblin king? Jareth the goblin king?"

Jareth relaxed, his grip loosening on her arms but not letting go. Her fists were raised against his chest, had been there the entire time he had been trying to shock her back into reality. He breathed out, deeply, and her hands smoothed along his vest, just barely, until they rested on his shoulders. "I need your help," Jareth whispered, "Please help me. You're the only one to ever solve it. You're the only one who has solved my Labyrinth. Help me."

His face was closer now, and it lowered just the right amount, so that his lips pressed against hers, and when he breathed into her mouth they were taken to the gates of the Labyrinth.

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A/N: Well that was a better, more interesting chapter, don't you think? Reviews please, if you can spare them. Crimson


	4. Outside the Gates: The First Night

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character of the Labyrinth nor profit from this in any way.

A/N: Join perspective this time. Some large changes have occurred in the Labyrinth in the few hours Jareth has been gone. Different time zones and stuff. You'll see.

Sarah opened her eyes with Jareth's lips still on hers. She shoved him away and stumbled on rocky ground. She let out a small shriek of surprise before landing on her butt on the dusty ground.

Jareth laughed, already feeling better being in his own land, "The mighty conqueror of the Labyrinth," he mocked.

Sarah stood and whipped the dirt off grudgingly, "I'm not a mighty conqueror. I don't even remember half of it."

Jareth had stopped smiling though, the laughter had dimmed from his eyes. He looked over Sarah's shoulders, and what he saw turned his stomach and made his heart shrivel in his chest. The walls of the Labyrinth, once a beautiful earthly gray-brown, were black as pitch. The sky had a red tint to it, the moon was black, and the fountains outside the gate were filled with blood. How long had he been gone?

Time in the Underground passed differently then the Aboveground. Sometimes you could spent an hour Aboveground and only a minute would pass in the Underground. Sometimes it was reversed. It was possible that his few hours in Aboveground had amounted to days, weeks, or even years in Underground. He swallowed, pushed his way past Sarah, his mouth open slightly. His Labyrinth... his city... his people. All of it had changed.

Sarah came and stood beside the dethroned goblin king, her eyes sweeping the horizon. "This isn't what I remember." She whispered.

"It's different. Years may have passed." It was the short version. "By all ye gods," he murmured, "I wouldn't have thought... my kingdom." Jareth was suddenly outraged, "Filth!" He spat, kicking at the dust, "The disgusting piece of slime! He did this. That—that asshole!"

He yelled, guttural, wordless and broken, before turning from the horrid sight. He sat right down in the dirt, his head in his hands, and cried a single tear for Underground.

Sarah had built a fire and Jareth was off collecting some sort of animal for them to cook and eat. Her memories were scattered, slightly incomplete. Her memories were especially clouded when it came to Jareth. She remembered her trip through the Labyrinth, her friends, but that was about all. God, how could she have forgotten her friends?

But the significant gaps when it came to the goblin king frightened her somehow, made her wary of him. She knew that in him lay the hopes for her return home, and so she would help him with whatever he needed help with—something about getting through the Labyrinth and some guy who had taken over as king—but she wanted answers.

A twig snapped behind her and she whirled. Jareth stepped into the firelight, two fairy plump rabbits slung over his shoulder. He held them up. "Happy?" He hadn't exactly been thrilled going off hunting for them, but she had proved useful when he was away. He wouldn't have thought she would have been able to start a fire.

Sarah smiled a little, "How do you propose we cook it?"

A half hour later the two rabbits were on a makeshift spit, the fat dripping off them and into the fire, where it sizzled and pop for a few seconds before quieting. Jareth sat next to Sarah, produced a flask from his hip and drank deeply. He offered it to her. "What is it?" She wasn't used to alcohol, though she had had it once in a while.

"Wine," he said, "The best. Never-ending flask, that's what it's called. It turns the liquid inside to whatever the master whispers into it. I asked for wine. I could ask for something else, if you want it."

Sarah shook her head and drank deep. The wine was thick, and pulled at the back of her jaw like strong wines are ought to do. As she lowered the flask, it felt heavier, like some invisible faucet had refilled it. She didn't let her surprise show as she handed it back to Jareth, "Thank you."

"Your welcome," he placed it back into the sash tied around his waist, and stared into the fire. A long moment passed between them in silence, in which Jareth stood up to rotate the rabbits on their stick. "You have questions for me, don't you?" He said, when he said back down.

Sarah looked at him, not very surprised that he had guessed, "Some, yeah."

"Feel free to ask. I'll do my best to answer."

She didn't really like his wording, but she asked anyway, "Why did you take Toby?"

He looked surprised, "You asked me to."

"I did?"

"Yes, you did. 'I wish the goblins really would come and take you away,' were your exact words. I took him, you had a change of heart and you challenged my Labyrinth for your brother."

Sarah looked into the fire, "Was I really that cruel?"

Jareth stared at her.

"To banish my brother, I mean."

"You were naïve, that's all," the words fell from his lips before he had time to consider. Actually consoling the one who beat you?—a voice mocked in his head, a voice that sounded like Dionysus—Yielding to her like she wants? "You were stupid," he corrected, "Very stupid."

She glared at him, but didn't lash out, "Why did you take him?"

"You just asked that question, my dear. Have the years dulled your brain?"

She ignored his mocking, "I mean; why did you grant my wish?"

He fell silent on this one, scratching in the dirt with a twig he had picked up. These fiddling tendencies were getting on his nerves. The king of the goblins did not fidget. He was calm and collected at all times. He dropped the stick, "I was in love with you."

The words hit Sarah one at a time, and she saw them as they came at her. It was like watching a hail storm in slow motion. "In love...?" she whispered into the darkness, turned away from him. He was staring at her with his flickering blue eyes. Like fire they were.

"Yes, in love. I was,"—you still are, a voice whispered, and he ignored it—"in love with you once. I commanded the goblins do your bidding."

Sarah turned back to face him, slowly. When they were staring at each other, eye to eye, she blurted, "I have a fiancé. I plan to go back to him."

The words hurt him, but he didn't even blink, "Very well. As you wish."

"Are you in love with me now?"

"No." The lie slipped off his tongue easily. He had been in love, trying to forget, for nearly nine years now. But he was an expert liar.

She stared at the rabbits. "Dinners ready."

The night was cold and when it came time for them to sleep, Jareth spread out a blanket he had amazingly produced out of his back pocket. It was so thick they couldn't feel the rocky ground. Even though only a few hours had passed since Sarah woke up, her bones ached with tiredness. She fell asleep immediately and, in the night, she wrapped her arms around Jareth and pressed against him for warmth. He was awake when she did that, and as he held her, and she held him, he regretted his decision to ignore her those long years. He wished that the woman sleeping so peacefully beside him was his, not this other mans. He wished that he had known what kind of a woman she would become. He wished so many things but, most of all, he wished that she'd fall in love with him. He wished he could have the woman he had craved, and hoped that she craved him equally.

And above them, the merciless red sky blinked yellow stars down on them. And almost a hundred miles away in the goblin castle, Dionysus watched them sleep in an enchanted mirror and grinned. He would look forward to tomorrow, when they dared his Labyrinth. For it was his now, not Jareth's, and he controlled everything within.

A/N: Tell me what you think!


	5. Into the Labyrinth

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, it's character, or profit from writing this fanfiction in any way.

A/N: I just can't keep this story tucked away right now. I keep watching the movie over and over again. I've even put a Jareth desktop theme on my computer. Someone help me! I'm getting obsessed!

* * *

The sky was yellow, a sickly yellow that reminded Sarah of the disease Toby had had when he was barely a year old. The sun burned red, and the shadows were different, darker somehow. She could make out the lines in Jareth's face easier then she used to. He looked older now. She peered at him as he wrapped up the blanket they had been using, "How old are you?"

He glanced over, the blanket folded so small it looked like a matchbox, "I dunno... four hundred maybe?"

She raised her eyebrows and took a bite from the cold leftovers of the rabbit they had last night. She liked rabbit, "No, really." She said between chews.

Jareth paused, tucking the blanket—now so small she could barely see it—into the back of his breeches. Breeches that fit him very nicely, Sarah thought. "It might be four hundred and fifty, though, I'm not sure."

"That's impossible," Sarah blurted out, "You're... human looking."

"Yes, I know that."

She stared at her, disbelief clear on her face, "But you're human, aren't you?"

He snorted.

"What are you, then?"

"Faerie."

"Pardon?"

"Faerie, fairy-folk, fae, Unseelie." He pronounced _Unseelie_ as _Un-She _She hadn't heart it like that before and it took her a moment to figure out what he was saying.

"Unseelie... isn't that... like, evil or something?"

He laughed, "No, not really. We're not the same glittery good-two-shoes as the Seelie--" again he pronounced _Seelie _as _She_ "--but we're not horrible. Well, some of us are, but not all of us."

She stared at him, "Fae?"

"That's right."

"As in... immortal?"

"You got it."

"That's ridiculous."

He laughed.

"So how exactly did the rebel goblins overthrow you?" He had told her all if not most of the story yesterday.

He scoffed, "My powers ride on the will of my subjects. When so many turned against me, I didn't have the power to rule over them anymore. They feared me before—loved me, some of them—because I brought order. I was cruel, but I was respected. They were my subjects, and they gave me power." He stood and brushed at his leggings. The dust never seemed to settle on his clothes, but it was habit. "Should we go? The sooner we conquer the Labyrinth, the sooner I can get my kingdom back."

"Wait!" Sarah said, standing and grabbing his arm, "You said that your power rode on the will of your subjects, right? What makes you think you can get your thrown back when you said they're all against you?"

He laughed, "I already have enough power now to be Goblin King. My subjects are calling out for me. Look at this," he said with a scowl, motioning to the blackened Labyrinth, the yellow sky and the red sun. "Do you think the goblins want _this?_ The goblins I know wouldn't like this."

"Okay..." Sarah said, thinking, "But if your powers are coming back, couldn't you teleport there or something? You wouldn't need to go through the Labyrinth."

He shook his head sadly, "Unfortunately, I do. If I simply show up and demand my throne back, it'll be looked at as an act of weakness. A true king can go through the Labyrinth and win back his place in a fair duel. Unless Dionysus has changed the rules since I've been gone, which I highly doubt."

"Then why do you need me? Shouldn't the king navigate through the Labyrinth on his own?"

He could feel her need to go back to her own world. It was beating against him like the wings of trapped birds, "No. Things have changed. A king may bring his companions to help him. Will you help me, Sarah, or do you want to go back? I may try the Labyrinth on my own if that's your wish." His eyes were dark, like twin pools of drowning blue fire.

Sarah looked away. _Yes!_ She wanted to say, _yes, I want to go home. Please let me go home._ But for some reason, one she couldn't possibly fathom or explain... she wanted to help him. God help her, she wanted to help him. "I'll help," she whispered, "But on one condition." She looked up at him and he stared down at her expectantly, "Keep your hands to yourself."

Jareth laughed, but inside he felt hollow. "As you wish. Now, please, should we go?"

Jareth turned and, shoving all feeling into the back of his mind, walked through the open gates of the black Labyrinth with Sarah at his heels.

* * *

**Note:** Descriptions for Seelie and Unseelie at end of chapter eight. I apologize for the inconvenience...

[[Crimson]]


	6. Meeting the Guardian

Disclaimer: You know the drill... don't own it, don't profit from it... etc, etc. Gee, aren't disclaimers fun?

A/N: Things are speeding up again, hopefully. I might get a bit over-reactive with my explanations. If they annoy you feel free to smack me about the head with a ruler or some odd.

* * *

The Labyrinth was dark. It closed over Jareth and Sarah like a fist, until Jareth produced a strange candle from the folds of his clothes. The candle lit a round ten-foot radius in soft glowing light. Sarah felt herself wanting pockets like he had. They were nifty.

In the darkness Jareth could hear almost everything. He felt the eye fungus growing on the Labyrinth walls, searching him out. Even they recognized him. Most of them even saluted him. The day was looking up.

Jareth and Sarah made their way down the first stretch of the Labyrinth carefully. Jareth himself knew what he was looking food. Sarah on the other hand had only a vague idea. She remembered only bits and pieces of her journey through the Labyrinth and, even though Jareth had awoken her to the fact that it had actually happened, she still had trouble remembering. What they were looking for, however, was a worm. It was the guardian to one of the many entrances to the Labyrinth through this walkway. The guard was there to give off wrong directions. He hadn't been instructed to do it, either, he just did it naturally.

"Jareth?" Sarah whispered, so close that the line of their bodies almost touched, "Why is it so dark in here? Shouldn't the sun get in just a little?"

Jareth shook his head, "Dionysus has taken over. If he doesn't want the sun inside the Labyrinth, it won't be." He was bent close to her ear, murmuring, "We need to be on our guard. He'll let out any sort of creature to stop us, even if it's at risk to others."

Jareth continued to walk, and Sarah followed him. Jareth was remembering things. Being here, Sarah next to him, going through a kingdom that had once been so beautiful, brought back memories.

_Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave..._

His heart was cut through just remembering that. He had fallen when she denied him. Fallen so deep within himself that it was a good few years before he had any feelings at all. If someone cut him, he wouldn't have felt it. If someone loved him, he would have denied it. He had laid himself bare for her and she had stamped all over him. That had hurt. That had hurt far too much.

_Leave it be,_ he told himself, _focus, Jareth, focus. Now is not the time._

It was a ways to walk, but soon Jareth started recognizing the sounds. The eye fungus grew thick here, waving on stalks of brownish moss. He paid it no heed. Soon he saw the crack where the worm lived but when he saw what awaited him, he stopped walking.

Sarah took a step before stopping, putting her a little ahead of him. She looked back, "What's wrong?"

Before Jareth could answer, there was a loud cough. A cough that a sick person would give off. And a putrid smell lifted around them. Sarah stumbled back, catching herself on Jareth's arm, arm raised to her nose. He stiffened immediately under her touch, but he was all eyes for the worm.

The worm was black, sooty, completely bald. It was coughing up bits of blood and green vapor. Jareth took a step towards him, and the worm looked up, it's eyes surprisingly white in the blackness. "Highness," he said gruffly, not at all the clear, crisp voice that Sarah had heard before. "Been a while."

Jareth crouched down so that he was eye-level with the sooty worm. "My guardian," he said quietly, "What happened to you?"

"It's the misses," he said somberly, as Sarah came and knelt beside Jareth. Her knee touched his, and a shiver danced up his spine. "She died a fortnight ago."

"My deepest sympathies," said Jareth just as somberly, "How did she pass?"

"Dionysus's men came and raided me home. They killed her 'or protesting. They've been doin' that a lot lately, they 'ave." He shook his head sadly, "It's been mighty dark since you been gone, your majesty, 'ighty dark indeed."

"How long have I been gone, my guardian?" Sarah was surprised by the humbleness in his tone, like he was greatly saddened by this single worms despair.

"Tis been 'most five months, sire, for sure." He shook his head, "It's be sad, awfully sad."

Jareth sighed and rubbed his hand along his face, ruffling up his already wild hair, "Which way to the castle, my guardian?"

The worm sniffed almost indignantly, "You should know, sire."

"Guardian..." Jareth's voice held a warning.

"The true king 'ould know de way, 'e would. You'll 'ave to find it on your own." With that, he gave what would resemble a bow, and ducked into the crack between two bricks.

Jareth let out a soft curse, "Looks like we're on our own."

Sarah shrugged and stood. Her knees popped on the way up and she cringed, "We'll do alright, you'll see. Come on." She turned so her back was to the wall the worm had been on, "Last time I was here I remember..." she trailed off and walked forward, her arms outstretched in front of her. What appeared to be solid wall was indeed a passageway to the rest of the Labyrinth. She could see different paths off to the sides, "See?"

Jareth stood beside her, "Either way," he said, "We end up in the same place."

"Indeed." Sarah turned her head to look at him, "Well?"

"You choose the way, Sarah, you're intuition is better then mine." Jareth sounded tired, even though they had gotten up only a few hours ago.

Sarah shrugged again and turned left. She had only taken a few steps into the road when the ground gave out beneath her, a looming black pit underneath. She screamed, her arms scrabbling for purchase, when Jareth clasped her arm. He held her there for a moment, suspended, as she stared up at him, terror in her eyes. He hauled her up onto the road again and she stood shaking for a moment, looking at the ten foot wide crevice blocking their path.

"Well," Jareth said, dusting off Sarah's shirt, "That'll show me to trust a woman. Come on, this way." He turned, starting down the other way, giving Sarah no choice but to follow him, still trembling.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for updating late. My computer was hacked. Poor computer. =(


	7. The Challenged and the Challenger

_So sorry for no updating sooner, folks, but I had to momentarily abandon the story for another. And, also, there's the upcoming birthday to plan. Hey, tomorrow's my sweet 16! Wish me happiness, wellness and all that jazz, will ya?! Kisses, and apologizes for the lack of. I'll be getting on it more now, promise._

**Disclaimer:** For all future disclaimers, see chapter one.

* * *

Sarah talked as she watched. A low mumbling that sometimes Jareth could pick up on and sometimes couldn't. "Blue, they could be blue," she was muttering, "But then they wouldn't really match the men, would they? Bother."

"What are you talking about?" Jareth asked irritably after a good fifteen minutes of this.

She glanced up, glaring at him. They'd been going through the same hedge maze for almost half an hour and she suspected they were going in circles, "I have a wedding to plan for." She said simply.

He gaped at her, "You're thinking about your wedding at a time like this?"

She stopped, and he stopped with her. They had put the candle away a while ago when the entered the hedges, where the sunlight had been so bright it was almost blinding, though it was still that strange tinted red. "Well," she snapped, motioning around her, "What else is there to think of? I plan on finishing this Labyrinth, going home, and getting married, thank you very much."

His stomach gave a twitch, like those you feel when you're sick, but he ignored it. Nerves. "Dionysus should be making an appearance soon."

She paused, her mouth open, obviously not expecting this as an answer. "How do you know?"

"The master of the Labyrinth always contacts the challenger at the beginning of the maze to negotiate the terms of the duel. It's the beginning still, and we'll soon be heading towards the center... he should be arriving shortly." He tugged a lock of wild blond hair, "Be on your guard."

"You seem to be saying that a lot," Sarah commented

Jareth stared at her blankly, "It's true."

Sarah opened her mouth to say something, though she wasn't sure what, when there was an odd slithering sound behind her. She shrieked and turned, hands clutching at Jareth. Jareth, meanwhile, had known who it was and was staring, calmly, at Dionysus.

"Jareth," he said silkily, "I thought you'd given up." He smiled, and it contorted his features so that it looked more painful then cheerful.

Dionysus was a round four foot, two inches, and was by far one of the thickest creatures Sarah had ever seen. He looked like a mail box, if a mail box stank and chewed a black, foul smelling thing that resembled tobacco and had so many scars that there was barely any real flesh left in it. His arms were large enough to be tree drunks, blackened with soot like the worm that they had encountered. He wore traditional leather armor and a broadsword at his side. His hair was greasy, long, and tied into a ponytail that went to the ground.

Jareth bowed his head, "Dionysus, rebel leader and new king of the goblins, I challenge your Labyrinth. State your terms."

Sarah, suddenly, felt nothing. A second ago she was clutching Jareth's arms and staring wide-eyed at the creature before her, and the next thing she knew she was staring at blackness. The sudden blindness, however, was nothing compared to the silence. It was as though someone had blindfolded her and stuffed her ears full of cotton. She could see and hear nothing. But she felt Jareth's arm under her hand, and she dug her nails into him, calling out softly, "Jareth?"

He ignored her, he was rapt on what Dionysus was saying. His breath was coming shallow by the end of it. Dionysus gave him a grin, and disappeared. Sarah came to her previous senses almost immediately afterwards, demanding to know what had happened.

"He's gained more power then I thought," Jareth said quietly, "He struck you blind and deaf, I don't know why." He knew why, though, he knew very well.

"Fine," Sarah said, a hysteric glint in her eye, "Just fine. Where do we go now Oh Mighty Goblin King?"

"Not a goblin king now, Sarah," he said, a touch of warning in his voice, "No longer." His stomach was making knots—actual knots, he had never had them before—and it was good to be distracted. He would have preferred not to be annoyed, but whatever worked, worked. He tugged his arm away from her, "Best be going, the exit's this way."

Sarah glared at his retreating form for a while, and then huffed after him, "What's got your royal panties in a twist?" She snapped as she got even with him.

Jareth ignored her. _Seduce the woman that denied you. If you are successful, the way to the castle will be laid bare for you, and you may challenge me. Fail in this, you will fail the Labyrinth, and will wander until the end of your days._ The fine hairs on the back of his neck stood up as Dionysus's words whispered again in his ears.

Great start, he thought as Sarah continued to sulk by his side, just blooming wonderful.

* * *

Here are my recommended reads (inspired by **Amazonian21**):

**HorridPorrid:** Good Inuyasha fanfiction, very amusing. I recommend it to anyone that's even vaguely interested in the series.

**Amazonian21:** Has some of the best Labyrinth fanfiction around. That I've read, that is.

**Crnflkgal:** I love her story "Sarah's 18th Birthday", and I recommend you read it. Now.

That's all for now. I'll read and review later.

[[CrimsonSympathy]]


	8. In the Labyrinth: The Second Night

**Author Note**: Okay, I'm doing this entirely on WordPad (which for my computer means no spell check) and I apologize for any misspellings and all. You know how I was saying that my computer was hacked? Well now it's dead and we haven't yet loaded Microsoft Word onto the main computer. Blast it. So this chapter is going to have a mild J/S. Long chapter.

**Disclaimer**: Laurell K. Hamilton "Merry Gentry Series" reference. The whole glowy thing. You'll see. I do not own Labyrinth.

* * *

That night they were roasting something over a fire that looked like a bird, but had a snakes face. Sarah didn't trust it, but Jareth assured her that it was good eats. She didn't really trust him until after he had taken a meaty chunk, and then she too had tried... and immediatley fell in love with it. It was hard to describe. Even though there were absolutley no spices or broths available, the meat was tender and juicy, sweet and yet thick. It made her very happy.

Jareth was distracted from all this by the challenge. They had gotten nowhere that day, and it was all thanks to his arrogance. He didn't want to woo her. Okay, scratch that, he had many fantasies over the years that involved the woman sitting across the fire from him, but he was scared. _Yes_- he thought to himself- _blast it, I'm scared of being hurt again. _

When she had denied him, not only had he hurt, but he had felt... well, vulnerable. That had been a feeling that, up until then, had never graced him. Vulnerable because he was not in control of his feelings for once. His reserve told him to forget the girl, but his heart constantly ached for her. _Damn it!_- he thought- _Just damn it all. Damn Dionysus and Sarah and this whole bloody mess._

"Did you say something?"

Sarah was staring at him, her portion of the bird already devored. Jareth gave an easy smile, but not before Sarah saw the surprise and... something else, in his eyes. "No, nothing."

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"Excuse me?"

She waved a hand at him, "A human expression. It means... oh, hell, I'm not entirely sure but I think it means 'you can tell me if you want to'. I've always found it a fancy way for people to delve into my personal life, so feel free to ignore me. Blast, I'm babbling. Sorry."

Jareth just smiled wider, "Dionysus."

"What _did_ he say to you today?"

"None of your business."

Sarah snorted, "Oh, I see how it is. You drag me into the Labyrinth because you need MY help and now it's 'none of your business'. Nice, Jareth, real nice."

Jareth pretended that he didn't know what she was talking about and promptly dropped the subject, "How is your brother? Toby, isn't it?"

Sarah looked shocked by the question, then glared, "Like you care."

Jareth's smile dropped and he tilted his head to the side, examining her, "Oh, please, Sarah. Let's pretend I'm not the big bad wolf and you're not the damsel in distress for once. It gets tiring, you know."

"I am not a damsel in distress."

Jareth gave a short barking laugh, "Have you grown at all, Sarah? From what I've seen of you, you've been nothing but the same spoiled fifteen-year-old that wished away her brother because--oh, horror of all horrors--she had to babysit."

Sarah opened her mouth to say something, closed it, opened it again and finally just content herself to glare at him. Jareth the Goblin King laughed again, this time full-throated and now nearly as halting. "Oh, Sarah, you see, you can never win."

"Who said this was a contest?"

Jareth sobered, nodding, "That's true, that's very true. I'm sorry."

It was Sarah's turn to laugh, "Jareth? The mighty Jareth? Apologizing to me?"

Jareth stood and walked to her side so fast it was as though by magic. Who knows, it could have been. Sarah stood and almost stumbled over the log she had been sitting on, just as Jareth grasped her arms, his mismatched eyes blazing. But when she looked up, her own eyes wide and frightened, he visibly relaxed, "Sarah, let's stop this," he said at last, his hands still on her, though the grip was no longer fierce but oddly comforting. "This whole... nemesis thing... it's getting tiresome."

Sarah frowned and he laughed, "You look pretty even when you frown."

She ignored that comment, "What exactly are you proposing, Jareth?" Her tone had taken on the business-like quality that she generally reserved for calls to her bank.

He let her go and took a step back, "Let us both forget our past differences for now and work together to get through this place. After we have finished and I've either failed or been crowned the goblin king again, we may settle our differences. But I want no more of this right now, Sarah, it makes me so tired."

Sarah stared at him, trying to figure out if he was tricking her or not. He was right, it was tiring to continually bicker and try and find out if such-and-such comment meant something pending to their last meeting or whatnot. She was getting tired of it as well, and she had wanted to propose the same thing but not appear to be begging or desperate. She hated feeling at a disadvantage, something that happened far too often for her to feel comfortable when she was in the goblin kings presence. She let out a shaky breath, "Fine, let's be... friends." she said the last word with hesitance, but smiled. A true smile, that lit up some inner part of her and shown through her eyes. Jareth smiled, too.

"Friend, then."

"Yes."

"Thank you, Sarah, it means much to me."

"You're welcome, Jareth, it means much to me as well."

Jareth and Sarah took their designated places and a silence fell over them again. But this time it was more comfortable. Both of them seemed deep in their own thoughts until Jareth raised his head again, smiled and said, "No, really, how is the little tyke?"

Sarah laughed, and Jareth's heart skipped a beat.

* * *

They were both lying on the blanket that Jareth had again procurred from his pockets. Sarah was still trying to figuring out 1. how to get pockets like that and 2. where the hell they were. She knew that there had to be pockets but, frankly, Jareth's outfit seemed pocket-less. In fact, it was lacking in many things. Like room. Sarah wondered if his outfits were uncomfortable. If so, he never complained.

Jareth produced the flask he had the night and several times before during the day. "What's your pleasure?" He purred.

"Cointreau."

"Beg pardon?"

"It's a type of alcohol. Could I do it?"

"Sure, be my guest." Jareth handed her the silver flask and Sarah whispered "cointreau" into it. She took a heavy swig, coughed softly, and handed it to Jareth, "It's strong."

Jareth sniffed and smelled... oranges. He took a swig and was a bit too hearty in his servings. The alcohol burned at his throat and he choked, spewing the clear liquid all over himself and the nearby shrubs. Sarah was laughing at him, "I warned you," she said between giggles.

"Gods above, what was that?"

"That, my dear, was 80 proof."

"Was what?"

"Oh, please, don't tell me you don't know what that means." She rolled her eyes and he could barely see it in the dying light of the fire. "Don't you ever get out?"

"Not really, no."

She sighed, "It's forty percent alcohol. It's good, though, don't you think?"

He still had some of the offending liquid in his mouth, and he had to admit that after he got used to the sheer overwhelming mass of alcohol, it was indeed good. The scent and taste of oranges lingered, sharp and rich. He took another sip of the flask and found it more enjoyable. "Yes," he said afterwards, "It is good."

Sarah grabbed for the flask and swung another mouthful. Jareth honestly didn't know how she could stand it, but she barely made a sound as she handed the flask back to him. She swallowed and made a small "Ahhh" sound afterwards. Jareth sipped at it again. He had honestly never had anything stronger then a good scotch or wine. He wasn't really one for hard liquor. But her likeness for it intriqued him. He wondered how much she knew about such things.

"In America we have a drinking age," Sarah said after Jareth had offered her the flask again and she had refused with a 'two shots is enough for my body mass' comment that he didn't quite understand.

"A drinking age?"

"Yeah. You have to be twenty-one years old in order to buy it, nineteen to handle it (though it might be eighteen, I'm not entirely sure), and even then you have to get a liquor license. It's kind of ridiculous. I've been in stores where they won't even let under-age (that's people under the drinking age) people go _into_ the aisle that has the alcohol. It's bloody ridiculous."

Jareth gave a smile at her slang. He had apparently rubbed off on her. "I've been drinking for almost my entire life."

"That's bad for your liver, you know."

"Not for me. Fae, remember?"

"I'm trying to forget, thank you very much."

"Whyever for?'

"Because being mortal and next to someone that'll probably see me as dust in the ground is a little unnerving, alright?"

"I don't see why it'd be so."

"Of course you wouldn't, you're immortal, now shut up or give me another subject to prattle on about."

He laughed, "Tell me about your fiance."

"He sucks in bed."

Jareth had to admit, this wasn't what he had expected as a description of her bedmate for life. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me, he sucks in bed. Don't know why I'm marrying him, really. I love him, I guess... but loving him and being in love with him is a different thing, you know? I think I'll learn to be in love with him, though. It's the way my parents met. But my mom died. Definatley don't want to follow that particular road. Guess with that staring me in the face I really shouldn't marry him. But it seemed right at the time. I mean, what are you going to say when someone drops on their knees in front of you and more then two dozen of your friends and family? 'No, I'm sorry, but I don't think I'm ready for that' or 'No, you're sex drive is so totally non-existant that I want to drop kick you'?"

Jareth really didn't know what to say to this.

"So I said yes. I'm living with him, too, and that would have been a rather uneasy time between us if I had said no and then come home later and said, 'Hey, you know, even though I still said no I want to keep you around because you're what I got'. I mean, talk about hurting a guy."

Jareth was choosing his words carefully. "You do not... love this man?"

"Well, I love him. But I also love my brother and my friends (and I'd never marry them), but I'm not IN love with him."

"And you did not wish to say no for fear of insulting him in front of your friends and family?"

"That about covers it."

"Don't you think he will be more hurt if he ever finds out that you were never truly in love with him and you only said yes out of a feeling of obligation and--perhaps--pity?"

She was silent for a moment. Jareth figured he had gone too far and had resigned himself to going asleep and waking up to a grumpy Sarah when she said, "You're right."

"Excuse me?"

"You're right. He doesn't deserve to be engaged to someone that isn't in love with him. I should break it off, explain it to him, and move out. There are other fish in the sea... I guess."

Jareth contained his excitement rather well, if he did say so himself.

"But that doesn't mean you can start snogging on me."

Jareth decided it was time to offer her more alcohol.

* * *

Later, as they were almost drifting off to sleep, Sarah started to talk again. Jareth had thought she had rather worn out her need for talking by this point, but apparently not. Women were strange creatures. "You know, I had a crush on you for a long time."

The shadows were so thick that he couldn't see her expressions, only the vague outline of her body, "What?"

"After I beat the Labyrinth and saved Toby, I had this major crush on you. There were a few times that I seriously considered calling you again and professing my undying love."

There was something stuck in his throat.

"It was... god, it was like... three years before I really got over you, started putting it all behind me and pretending that it wasn't real. I guess when you pretend long enough, it becomes not real anymore at least in your head. Toby asked me about it one day. I have no idea how he remembered, being so young. He was just humming some strange song one day, all about dancing and things, when he asked me about you. At that point I had almost completley convinced myself you weren't real. I looked at him, he looked at me, and I said I didn't know what had happened to you. I said that I was sorry for wishing him away and that I loved him. He smiled at me and said 'don't worry, I don't blame you'. After that, we never talked about it again. I was thinking about it today. He's such a nice boy."

Jareth wanted to touch her, he really did, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He was afraid she'd pull away.

"Jareth? Are you asleep?"

It took him a few times but he managed to say, "No."

"What's wrong?"

"I love you, Sarah."

It had slipped from him before he had time to consider, just popped out like a coil that had been wound tight for years and years and had finally had its trigger tripped.

She was silent for only a few moments, "I thought you said you didn't love me."

"I've been trying not to."

"Why?"

He didn't feel comfortable revealing that just yet. She took his silence as an opportunity to say more. "How long?"

"Many years. I watched you most of your teenage years, before you ran my Labyrinth. I fell in love with you, and haven't gotten out of it yet."

"Yet..." she said it sadly, almost a sigh.

There was another long moment of silence.

"Jareth?"

"Yes?"

"Would you kiss me? Not as... well... I've always wanted to know what it'd be like, you know? Ever since we met, really."

Jareth felt her move, her hand on his shoulder, and little bolts of electricity traced along his spine. He could feel her breath on his check, "Would you?" She asked from close by.

"Yes."

He moved up to her, leaning over her, and right before their lips touched in the darkness she whispered, "Thank you."

He had shared many kisses with many women, some even more beautiful (though in a more etheral rather then a down-to-earth way) then Sarah, but none had felt like this. If he could gather all the feelings from all the kisses he had taken over the years and combined them, it still wouldn't have been enough to describe this feeling. Many times he had read or heard reminices of sharing the first kiss with your true love, and he had dismissed it all as exaggeration. But not now. Oh, gods, not now.

His hands carressed her neck and shoulders, her hands were against his chest, the line of their bodies was nearly touching. He had to bend over her, he was so much taller then her, his hair falling around them like a curtain. It had grown drastically since she had seen him first. Their lips were barely carressing and yet there were small, pleasurable sounds coming from them both. Jareth's skin started to take on a glow, a shine, like he had taken liquid light and poured it on himself. Through her closed eyelids she saw it, and broke from him. He made a sound of protest but she didn't care at that moment. She stared at him, a beautiful shining thing, and she could barely think. He was so damn beautiful.

Jareth had seen Fae glow before, but had never experienced it before. A Fae glowed when they touched their true, destined bed mate--the one that they could spend the rest of their long, long lives with and be content. He had wanted it before, with others that he had been sure he had loved, but now he was glad he hadn't glowed for them. Glowing for her, light from within like a thousand flickering candles, he felt complete, whole. She stared at him with wonder, lust, love, joy, and so many other emotions, and he couldn't trade that for all the jewels in Underworld.

"Jareth?" Sarah whispered as he lowered his mouth to her again.

"Hm?" He said quietly.

"You're glowing."

He smiled, and kissed her again.

* * *

**Reads**:

**Amazonian21**: As always, great stuff. Recommend "Jareth and Sarah the Reality". I'm making everyone I know read it. I also HIGHLY recommend "Nephilim"

**Sally Cinnamon**: "Strangely Divine"... gods, I wish I could write a fan fiction like that. It's long, but it is SO worth it. Go read it now or I'll send my evil robots to come and eat your toenails while you sleep.

**Freyja SilverWillow**: Reading her work "Thirteen O'clock" and I adore it.

**Emerald Skye**: "Stolen Innocence"... er, not really sure why I like it exactly, I just do.

**Sennethe**: Save the best for last, right? That's right, and don't you forget it. I've read "Lost Without You" (short story that now has me hooked on the Sting song it was inspired by) and "Darkness and Dreams". Darkness and Dreams is simply FABULOUS! Go and read it. NOW! (and thank you for your reviews, Sennethe, they're wonderful. I'm getting around to making those changes, thanks SO much for pointing them out!)

**And I forgot to mention it: Constructive critisim is not only wanted but needed. PLEASE!**

Oh, and, in case you needed it, here's some explinations:

**Seelie:** Fae of "light". Often described as faeries that are especially kind to humans and other creatures. However, the Seelie in my stories are often too good to be true, and therefore boring and therefore... hardly ever make appearences. They really dislike the UnSeelie, their counter-court, and try to play them out to be evil-infested creatures with every intention to hurt you. Yeah, whatever, shut up and go home.

**Unseelie:** The dark court. Often looked upon as evil, bad tempered and just plain wrong. The Unseelie are, however, in my stories just a tad more creative with their magic. Though they would never look down on being evil, a lot of them aren't that way, just a little more... lenient. Jareth belongs to this court and rules over one of its inner-courts, the goblins. Though he's not as powerful as the King and Queen of the Unseelie, he does hold much influence over the court. He isn't exactly "evil", but he is Unseelie. They are never above getting into... playfulness when they can. The Unseelie court will probably make minor appearences in this particular tale.

**The Glowy Thing:** This is an idea I got from Laurell K. Hamilton's "Merry Gentry (Princess Meredith NicEssus)" series. They glow during sex. Dunno why, though, she never explains, I just thought it was cool and so threw it in.

**Thanks for reading and until next time...**

**[[CrimsonSympathy]]**


	9. PomPom Chicken Creatures

Sarah woke first. After their short make-out session Jareth had admitted himself to be so tired he couldn't think of anything to do but sleep. Sarah had raised her eyebrows at that, but he had just laughed. "I have shinned for someone," he said (ommiting that it was his first time), "It takes some energy, and I'm already low from our day of travels." With that, he had rolled off of her and lain on his side, his head resting on his arm to stare at her. He still glowed, but lightly, not as blindingly bright as before. Sarah found it comforting.

He had fallen asleep first and, when she was sure he was, she had slipped away and sat at the edge of their camp, thinking. Jareth was cute--dead sexy--but he was cunning. He was, after all, the Goblin King. To be a king you had to be cunning, cruel, indifferent, among other things. Perhaps he wasn't trying to help her. Perhaps their 'friendship' was part of some new corruption that he was setting in motion. Perhaps his goal was just to have her. It might even all be a lie, the entire Labyrinth being corrupted and Dionysus being leader. It seemed kind of odd... he was fae, after all, and he had more likely had other fae more competent then she. No, nothing really settled well. Nothing at all.

And how was she to know anyway? The last time she had been around him he had given her best friend a "present" that he had actually delievered. Hoggle had loved her... Hoggle had.... oh, gods, she thought suddenly, what had happened to Hoggle? And Ludo? And Sir Diddymus?

Her thoughts chased a circle round and round her head until she was almost screaming in frustration. She stood and stared at the starry sky for a long moment, calming herself, before she finally returned to the Goblin Kings side. Lying there, sleeping, he appeared... fragile. Her doubts were washed away as she lay by him, smoothing hair out of his face. He moved against her touch like a child would, and she felt her heart warming. She slept pressed against him, and woke the same way.

Many things were spread out on the ground by the camp site. The candle, the flask, several cooking utensils, a pouch full of something that Sarah hadn't seen yet, a compass and a map that appeared, at the moment, to be blank. Apparently the pockets--though Sarah couldn't see them and wondered on their existance at times--were still able to affect him if he slept on them. He had complained the the night before a cooking pot had burried itself into his side, resulting in a bit of pain throughout the day. Sarah thought it strange, and took a moment in the dawns light to again examine his breeeches--again noticing how well they fit--for any pockets. She found none and sighed.

They had camped in the first clearing they had come to in a large forest. They had traveled for more then an hour in the wood to get to their current position, but it had proved useful for firewood. There was still a small pile near the burnt-out embers of last nights fires and Sarah chided herself for putting it so close to a flame, where it might have caught as well. She wasn't exactly a girl scout.

Sarah started up the fire again, blowing softly on the small flame until it came large enough to sustain itself, and then she stood again, surveying the woods around her. It pressed in like a fist about to close, and she wondered how they had ever gotten through it. It seemed so... deep now. So dark and frightening. Perhaps it was just that she had Jareth to grump at that she had gotten through it before. Yeah, that had to be it.

Sarah wondered what kind of animals were in the forest, and what were good to eat. She didn't want to kill an unsuspecting goblin but... her stomach rumbled, and she glanced at Jareth again. Still out cold. _Fine_, she thought, _I'll go through myself. I'll just look for... eggs. Yeah, eggs. _Though the thought did occur to her that she might not know if there were such thing as poisonous eggs in this land, she stepped into the forest anyway.

The darkness closed over her, and it took her a moment to adjust to the dimness. She took a few steps forward, and the fine hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Something wasn't right, she knew it. Something wasn't right. She was about to turn back, wait for Jareth to wake up--_I've dealt with hunger before_--when a pair of furry hands clamped over her shoulder, and she was dragged backwards, shrieking. The thing dragging her laughed and raised a large chunk of wood. Sarah had time to think, "no, don't" when the wood fell with a dull clunk and she lost consciousness.

* * *

Jareth woke with a start. He had been dreaming, dreaming of her body stretched out underneath him, naked and glowing, matching his own shine. He shivered with the memory and reached out to touch her--when he realized nothing was there.

"Sarah?"

Jareth sat up, looking around. She wasn't anywhere in site, and it rose in him a panic that was like bile in the back of his throat, "SARAH!"

She would know better then to wander the woods, wouldn't she? He had mentioned it, hadn't he? Gods above, he had forgotten. He thought he would wake before her.

"Shit," he spat, hunkering down to the floor again. He smelled the earth, and above it, like the lingering of perfume, Sarah's scent. He followed it into the woods and prayed that he wouldn't be too late.

* * *

Sarah was dumped unceremoniously at the foot of a particularly dirty, particularly foul-smelling and particularly ugly chicken-creature. Or that's what Sarah had decided to call them. Her head was throbbing, her wrists ached where the rope that bound her cut into her flesh and spilled fresh blood.

"Well, well, well," said the chicken-creature above her, "Well, well, well." He repeated as Sarah lifted her head to look at him, dirt smeared in the blood clotting on her temple and on her face. "What beauty is this that doth grace my presence?"

"A human, sir," said the chicken-creature that had brought her here. Sarah thought they looked like a mix between a chicken and a pom-pom personally. "Wandering in our forests like she owned the place." He laughed, and laughter echoed through the trees. Sarah thought it was the first chicken-pom-pom's echoing laughter but she realized with cold dread that it was the laughter of others--many others.

The chicken-pom-pom in front of her bent his head to look at her, giving a low chuckle, "What's your name, mortal?"

"Sarah." She wiggled to her knees, so she was kneeling in front of him. At this height she was almost even with the head chicken-creature.

"Ah," He said, grinning to show very, very small razor-like teeth. "Do you have a master, child?"

A responce spilled out of her mouth before she had time to consider, "No one owns me." Her tone was defiant, but all she got in return was a tittering of laughter around her. She stared around, trying to find the source, but the shadows were too thick. She thought she saw a flicker of orangy-yellow feathers, but she wasn't entirely sure.

The chicken creature in front of her laughed again, a low and bubbling sound, like a spring that flowed black. "No owner, eh? That means your free for the taking." He stood and towered above Sarah's bent form. "Let's play with the pretty thing," he said, and cheers rose from the forest, "And then we'll kill her."

Again, there were more cheers, but Sarah had the feeling that they wanted to kill her more then "play" with her. She wondered what playing entailed, exactly. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she stared around. Shapes were emmerging from the shadows, and laughter flitted in and out among this new and startling company. _Jareth,_ she though, _Oh, god, Jareth, I need you._ Then one of the creatures lobed something at her and she screamed as a head rolled in the dirt in front of her, laughing and batting its eyes at her. "JARETH!"

* * *

Jareth heard her, suddenly, and his head snapped up. He broke into a run, his long legs covering the distance quickly. But even a small amount of time in the right hands could be deadly.

* * *

Two of the chicken creatures were holding her down, they had tied her between two trees, spread eagle, the bonds so tight that a slow trickle of blood was running down her arms and dripping onto the dirt. They were laughing and dancing around her, various parts of their bodies juggled around and around. She shut her eyes as she felt the brush of feathers or the press of a hard beak against her lips. _What do they want? _She was thinking desperatley, _Gods, make it stop... gods... Jareth...._

"Always full of themselves, the abovegrounders," the chicken creatures were saying.

"Always claiming independence..."

"So funny..."

"So stupid..."

"No owner, no owner!" One cried, "What can I do to her, Jacksaw? Anything?"

The voice of the head chicken-creature rumbled, "Anything."

There was another bout of laughter, but it was stopped when a cold voice said;

"You will not."

Sarah recognized that voice and her eyes snapped open, her head jerking upward just as the chicken-creature who had spoken slipped a hand under her shirt and kneeded her breast, his fingers biting into the soft flesh and drawing blood. She screamed, and Jareth's eyes flickered to her, alarm clear. He looked slightly pink in the face, as though he had run a long distance.

Jacksaw, the leader, crowed laughter, "You cannot punish us for harming this creature, _Jareth_," he left out his title deliberatley, "She has claimed no ownership. She's meat."

The creature that was attached to Sarah started to unbutton her pants, and Jareth called out, "Enough!"

"What are you going to do about it, Jareth?" Jacksaw taunted.

He paused for a moment in which the chicken thing on Sarah fiddled with the zipper on her jeans and then said, "I shine for her."

The creatures all stilled, the one that was so interested in Sarah's flesh's digging deeper into her breast so she made a soft moan of pain. Jareth was all eyes for Jacksaw, Sarah observed. Her breast throbbed with each heartbeat, the wounds on her wrists long numb from being held above her head.

"I don't believe you," Jacksaw said finally, and the creature holding onto Sarah ripped a portion of her jeans, so an expanse of black underwear showed through. She gave a small shriek.

"Let me prove it, Jacksaw, even though you should not doubt the word of a fae. We do not lie."

"Not to each other," Jacksaw said immediatley.

"Not to anyone." Jareth corrected, and turned to Sarah, "Get away from her," he said to the creature with its grip on her.

"No," it said, "I will finish what I've started if you cannot claim her."

"You would rape her?"

The creature just stared at him, hate in his eyes. If the Goblin King took away his prize, he would be upset. Not so upset to voice his opinion, but upset.

Jareth looked at Sarah, hanging at his height so he could look directly into her eyes. "Sarah," he said softly.

Her eyes were clouded, but she looked at him and they cleared, "Hello Jareth," she said, just as softly.

"I'm going to kiss you now. Is that alright?"

"Yes," she said, laughing lightly. But the laugh shook the hand that was on her breast and her voice shook with pain, "Please get me out of here."

"Don't worry," he said, reaching for her. He brushed the hair from her face and leaned into her. She closed her eyes and tried to forget the creature that had himself drapped over her, trying to focus on Jareth. It was hard, until his lips brushed hers, then she forget everything else.

This kiss was deeper then the ones they had shared the night before. He worked at her mouth, his hands burried in her hair. She gave a soft moan, this time not of pain, and he licked her bottom lip. Her mouth parted and his tongue swept inside her, exploring, tasting. She bent towards him and as she did, she could make out his soft glow through her closed eyelids. He was growing brighter as their kiss grew deeper, until it was like someone shinning a flashlight right up against her closed lids. He broke from her with a gasp, and her pains came rushing past. She made a small sound, but the chicken creature had already moved away, blood staining his fingertips. When he had backed far enough into the shadows, his tongue flicked out and cleaned his hands.

Jareth stood shinning, much as he had last night, except this time in the midst of a dirty gang of chickens. He seemed brilliant, immortal, powerful. Jacksaw gaped at him for a span of a few short moments before falling down on his face in a deep, humble bow. "My Lord, King of the Goblins and Protector of my Lands, I am sorry."

Jareth stared at him as the other chicken-creatures followed his lead. Soon the only one standing was Jareth (Sarah being strung up between the trees). Finally he said, "Rise, my subjects, for now is not the time."

Jacksaw rose first and the others followed suite. Jareth was beginning to loose the brilliance of his glow, so that he just gave off a faint shine. "Hear me and spread the message; Sarah is my equal in all things, and I will not have her harmed."

"Your majesty," Jacksaw mumbled.

"Now go," Jareth said, "Be my eyes, my ears and my voice in these times. Tell this to the other goblins; that Jareth is coming back to reclaim his throan."

"Yes, your majesty," Jacksaw whispered, and bowed. A moment later he and his kind were slipping through the trees, until the only ones left were Jareth and Sarah.

Jareth moved to untie her bounds without a word, leaning her against his body, "Next time, love," he grunted, "Don't go off on your own."

Sarah was crying, "Thank you," she said quietly, "Thank you so much."

Jareth finished untying her and examined her bloody shirt, wrists and torn jeans, "This won't do," he mumbled, then looked at her and said, "How bad are you hurt?"

Sarah shook her head, "I don't know."

Jareth nodded and set her down on a log, examining her wrists. The wounds were shallow, but would become infected if the filiments of rope stayed long and festered. He kissed the wounds and beneath his lips the wounds re-knit themselves and healed. Sarah gasped as he moved to her other wrist, flexing her fingers. There was still a dull feeling, like an itch, but it was no longer throbbing. His lips traced the next wound, tongue darting out to taste her flesh, his eyes closed. She leaned back against the trunk of a tree and tried to breathe properly. She had no doubts now what "play" had meant. A gang bang, for lack of a better term. And then death. She shivered, and it was partially Jareth's touch.

"Your shirt," Jareth said suddenly.

Sarah opened her eyes, looking at him, "What?"

"Your wounded, aren't you? Your shirt is bloody."

"Um... yes. My... breast. The thing grabbed it and dug in."

Jareth fought hard to keep his face blank, but knew he was failing. Even under these circumstances, the idea of seeing her breasts excited him. He lowered his eyes, knowing they were giving him away. "Would you rather they healed naturally or..." He let her fill in the blanks.

She stared at him for a short moment, "Do you have to heal with your mouth?"

He paused, "... yes. There are others that could heal with their hands but... I am not one of them."

She lifted her shirt, showing a smooth expanse of milky stomach, "I'd rather they be healed now."

Jareth leaned forward, lifting the shirt the rest of the way, exposing her breasts. Only her left breast was injured. The creature had punctured through her... undergarments (he wasn't quite sure what a bra was, though he got the basic idea). Blood encrusted the lacy black fabric but he knew that it wouldn't do to work through it. He pushed it away and tried to hide his excitement when he saw her breasts for the first time, small but perfect (save for the puncture marks).

Jareth bent forward and kissed the first puncture. Sarah stiffined at first but sighed and rolled her head back. His mouth worked at the wound until he felt it close, and then moved onto the next one. There were four wounds in all but, even though he was finished, he didn't remove his mouth. Sarah made a small sound when his tongue flicked out and traced around her nipple, making it hard underneath his lips. He sucked at her and she cried out, her body lifting towards him. He was glowing again, faintly. She didn't protest when he moved to her other breast, tracing the way with his lips and then his hands. His hand stayed on her left breast, working it, as his lips explored her other one.

Sarah gasped as he nibbled at her lightly, "Jareth..." she whispered, her hands plunging into his hair. He bit harder and she cried out, "God!" But her eyes opened and she saw, still hanging there, the ropes that she had been bound to just a moment before. She didn't want to kill the mood, she really didn't, but seeing those ropes... "Stop," she said quietly.

Jareth, who had been expecting this sooner or later, raised his head and looked at her. She re-arranged her breasts into her bra again and slipped the shirt over her again. He almost cried to see it go. "I'm sorry, I... thank you."

"You're welcome," he whispered, and kissed her. It was quick, soft, but just before he pulled away he nipped her bottom lips. She gave a small cry and he grinned.

"You're into the rough stuff, eh?" She said, smiling.

He smiled back, "You have no idea."

* * *

**End of chapter**

**A/N: **Why... why do I have to do these at midnight??? I get tired halfway through and now I'm a friggen zombie. Hope you guys liked and... **REVIEW**! Please! I love them. In fact, I live for reviews. Please grace me with their presence. More J/S action next chapter, possibly... or the chapter after that... or something...

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Labyrinth. Glowy idea from Laurell K. Hamilton's Merry Gentry series.


	10. The Goblin Village: Hoggle Returns

**A/N:** I can't seem to stop writing. What's happening to me?!? I'll just be sitting down reading a Stephen King book when it hits me--Jareth and Sarah could do THIS or THAT or... OMG... it's exhausting. Well, everyone, I hope that you like this next chapter. Thank you everyone (few and far between that you are) for reviewing. lyn--are you ever going to say anything but "write more"? Come on, I need more then that to sustain my ego.

I again remind everyone that my computer is dead and I'm working on Wordpad. I'm doing my best not to mis-spell things, but it's hard. If there's just something that screams out at you, let me know.

As always, constructive critisism welcome.

* * *

They traveled. The forest went on for a long, long while until they came to a crumbling wall, black with soot. Jareth was silent most of trip, and Sarah herself was deep in thought. Jareth had no doubts to what she was thinking about. His mind kept flashing on the clearing and how she hadn't pulled away until her head had swung in the one direction. He had no doubts that their success in finding their way through Dionysus's Labyrinth was due to his own success at the challenge. There were higher powers then the two "Goblin Kings" when it came to challenges. Even if Dionysus wanted to cheat--which no doubt he did--he had not the personal energy (due to the enviornment he had set up for his subjects) or the power to. The Labyrinth would protect the challenger unless he/she tried to cheat, and would bar the way for the challenged if he decided to mettle. It was an interesting system. Jareth wondered who had invented it. 

After Jareth had stopped trying to seduce Sarah in that particular clearing, they had turned their attention to her pants. They were ripped most of the way down the thigh, something the creature had done while they were kissing and hadn't noticed. Sarah couldn't walk hardly at all, and flat out refused to be dressed in nothing but underwear. Jareth hadn't tried to dress anyone else using the ability he possessed to dress himself until then. Apparently it worked both ways, for soon she was wearing a pair of worn black leather pants that sometimes creaked when she moved. He had replaced her shirt as well--also leather and tighter fitting then the one she had worn. Sarah had grumped that she looked like some dominatrix from an S&M parlor (though that wasn't entirely true), but Jareth had flat-out refused to dress her in jeans again. "Leather is better fitted for traveling," he said.

"You're wearing breaches," she had pointed out.

"And are you complaining?"

She had shut her mouth at that. Jareth had chuckled and they had left the clearing. Her shoes were still the black Nikes that she had been wearing when he took her to the Underground--she had threatened his manhood if he changed them to something more "classy"--but they managed to blend well with the outfit. Sarah's arms were now completley bare and Jareth was often tempted to touch them. She had finger combed her hair half-heartedly and it gave her a wild look. She looked positively stunning. Jareth could barely keep himself from touching her. Thus he had barred any attempts at conversation as they made their way through the woods.

When the came to the wall, though, he stopped. "Bother."

Sarah looked up, "What?"

"This wall," he said, motioning at it, "I had forgotten about it."

"What's so bad about the wall? I had no trouble getting up it."

He stared at her, "_You_ weren't supposed to befriend one of my goblins. You were supposed to wander on the perimeter of it until you gave up. That was the plan, anway." He turned back to stare at the thing, fingers stroking an imaginative beard. Sarah had a moment to wonder why he didn't grow facial hair before she spoke again.

"Sooo... how do we get over it?"

"I don't know."

His answer startled her, "What do you mean _you don't know_?"

"Just what I said; I don't know. No idea. Nada."

Sarah opened her mouth for a moment before any sound came out, "You're Fae."

"Nice of you to notice."

She ignored the comment, "Couldn't you just... magic us there?"

He looked like he had bit into something sour, "I'm afraid its a bit more complicated then that, love."

"How so?"

"The Labyrinth would consider that cheating." He had explained the rules to her sometime last night.

"Oh," she said quietly, "Shit."

"Yes, precisely. He looked up the wall. It was a good thirty feet, maybe more, but it was in such disrepair that there were many bricks that had fallen out, creating footholds. But where as some were only a few inches apart, some were several feet. He was sure he could climb it, but he wasn't sure about Sarah. Then an idea struck him, "Sarah?"

"Yeah?

"I have an idea. Now don't jump to conclussions. Hear me out first..."

* * *

About half an hour later Jareth was scalling the wall as fast as he could, which was pretty fast considering the difficult positioning of the footholds. He vaulted over the side, stood for a moment and ripped a crystal off his neck, throwing it to the ground in a flash of color. 

Sarah was on her hands and knees, panting, "Gods." She said, after a moment.

Jareth had explained, as well as he could, the only thing he could think of to get them over the wall. One of his crystals (which he hadn't wanted to tinker with due to her experience with them in the past) could hold any organic substance--including breathing creatures--inside of them. The only drawback was that the creature imprisoned couldn't breath or move or do much of anything while imprisioned in the ball. That was why it wasn't used except for general death sentences. The creature would die of oxygen loss sooner or later and when it was released it was long dead. That's why Jareth had hurried.

Jareth moved to her side and took her hands, pulling her up. Her legs were shaking, "I don't want to do that ever again, you hear me?" She pressed her head against his chest, looking at the ground and breathing deeply. It had been like liquid glass poured down her throat and into her lungs. She was okay, but she never wanted to feel that again.

"Shh, love, it's alright, it's--"

He was cut off by an exclamation, "Get yer hands off er you letch!"

Jareth's head snapped up and he stared wide-eyed at the little goblin standing before him, "Higgle?"

"Hoggle," he corrected automatically, then glared, "Get yer hand off of er. She dodn't like you, majesty."

Sarah turned abruptly, smiling, but her smile faltered when she saw her old friend.

Hoggle's skin was encrusted with wounds, some fresh, some healing, some scared over like pink marks. They were all over his face, neck, arms, legs... every inch of skin he posessed. He walked with a more pronounced limp and winced at times. "Hoggle," Sarah murmured, "What's happened to you?"

"Dionysus has me whipped e'rey day," Hoggle said, almost proudly, "Fer saying I don' believe es the Goblin King."

Jareth, who had not been expecting such loyalty from a creature who, after Sarah beat the Labyrinth, had grown to dislike his king immensly. "Frightened my friend," he'd grumble as he moved past him, "Made me give er a enchanted peach... what a..." and then he usually went off on a string of insults. Jareth had ignored him wonderously, and had thought Hoggle would be one of the first to join sides with Dionysus. This loyalty... he had not been expecting.

"Oh, Hoggle," Sarah said, kneeling in front of her friend and reaching out tentatively towards one of the new wounds. She had tears in her eyes, "Are you in much pain?"

"Yup," said Hoggle, just as proudly, "E won't let anyone treat me wounds. Says I'm to be treated like ah dog. Don' mind, though. Knew Jareth would come back."

"I would hug you," She said softly, "But I'm afraid of hurting you."

"Don' worry," Said Hoggle dismissively, then peered at her. "What were you doing in His Majesty's arms, Sarah?"

She flushed, and Jareth tried not to laugh, "I was... was... uh..."

Hoggle smiled and looked around her to grin at Jareth, "Always knew you'd win er heart one day."

Jareth didn't know quite what to say to that.

"Come to the village, Sarah. I have a house now. You can spend the night there, if that yer wish." He beamed at her, as well as he could in the state he was in.

Jareth stopped him, though, before he could walk off, "Hoggle," he said quietly, "Thank you."

Hoggle smiled up at him, "I ne'er really liked you, Jareth, but yer good for Sarah, good fer the Goblins, and good fer me."

Sarah opened her mouth to say something but Jareth held up his hand, "Thank you, Hoggle, I'm much abliged."

"Ah, yer majesty," Hoggle said, "Come now, or we'll be late for dinner. The village is full of yer supporters."

* * *

The village was quaint, and pretty. It was set in the shadow of the castle beyone the goblin city. Jareth had stared at it for a moment before ducking into Hoggle's hut, careful not to scrape his head on the ceiling. He ended up having to lie down in order to be comfortable in the least. Sarah, who was much shorter then he, was able to sit on one of Hoggle's kitchen chairs without much problem, though her head was only a few inches away from the ceiling. Hoggle explained they'd be given human-sized accomodations for the night. "They're just preparin' em." He said. 

Sarah was caught up in conversation with her old friend. He discussed some of the things that had been going on with Dionysus as ruler, "Evil bugger," he said. "He just takes whatever he pleases and kills ye if ye dissapprove. I suppose the only reason he keeps me around is that I'm good at killin fairies. No offense, yer highness."

Jareth bowed his head, unable to do much else, "It's quite allright. The demi-fey have been warned not to trespass here. Why they do I don't know."

"Sounds horrible," Sarah whispered, then looked up, a small smile on her face, "How did Jareth treat you after I defeated his Labyrinth?"

Jareth ignored the words, even though they stung, instead focusing on the quilt he was lying on. Sarah and Hoggle talked while he picked at it dismissively. He knew the only reason that the goblin city was so close was Sarah had responded nicely to his advances. It was possible that if he didn't get any father, they would be transported farther back in the morning. He wasn't sure, and he didn't really want to find out. He stared at Sarah, laughing, her hand clasped over her heart like it would burst, her cheeks slightly pink. He wanted her. He wanted her in a way that he had never wanted anyone else. He had thought that he wanted her because he wanted to best her, prove that he was dominate, but he realized that wasn't true. He wanted her body, yes, but he also wanted _her_. He wanted to know her, to live with her. For as long as he could... he wanted to be with her.

Sarah looked over at him as though drawn by his gaze, still smiling. Her brown eyes were glimmering with unshed tears, her hand reaching up to smooth her hair where it had brushed against the ceiling. Her smile widened when she saw him, and then she turned back to Hoggle. His stomach tightened as he watched her. Oh, gods, what if he failed?

* * *

Dinner was almost a ceremony. The goblins in that particular village were all ecstatic to see their old king. They had no doubts that he would beat Dionysus and claim back the throan. But they all asked, "What of the challenge? What is your task? Are you having trouble?" He would answer with a polite, "Don't worry about it" or "Now, let's not talk about such things now", but he always had his eye out for Sarah when he did so. Did she suspect something? Was she too wondering what the challenge had been? What would her reaction be when she found out, for he had no doubts that she would find out one day. It turned his stomach, this idea, but he had to get his kingdom back. He had to. And seducing her wouldn't work if he came right out and said it. She may still have sex with him, yes, but it would be out of the obligation to help her friends and this place--wouldn't it? He didn't know. It all confused him. He wished women weren't so strange. 

The cottage that had been prepared for them that night came with many accomodations that they had been without for the past two nights. Even though the goblins were ashamed they didn't have anything "proper" for the Goblin King and his equal (for they had all heard the news), Sarah and Jareth had thanked them, insisting that it was fine.

Sarah shut the door after the last goblin well-wisher had gone, waving a scarlett hankercheif and beaming. "Gods," she whispered, "They don't let off, do they?" 

He chuckled, lounging on the only bed. There wasn't room for much else in the cottage. It had a fireplace, a small--very small (goblin sized)--table and chairs, and the bed. The fire was blazing away cheerily, chasing away the chill of the night. The bed was large enough for the two of them, but Sarah eyed is suspiciously, as though wondering if Jareth had insisted on it. "No," Jareth said, smiling, "It's not every day their monarch shows up."

"Are you sure Dionysus isn't going to punish them for helping us?" She asked, worry clear.

"Only if he kills me in the duel, then he'll kill everyone that ever helped me." He said it smoothly, almost without emotion, but the sudden prospect sent a shiver through both of them.

Sarah stiffled a yawn and then shook her head, motioning at her clothes, "Okay, oh great one, please change these clothes. I can't sleep in leather."

Jareth laughed, "As you wish." He waved his hand at her and she was in a very frilly dressing gown. She frowned at him and he laughed again, gave another flick of the hand, and she was in a much less frilly and more plain night shift. It was a bit dated for Sarah, but she supposed it would have to do. It was white cotton and hung to her ankles. She had taken a bath before dinner and she smelled like soap. The goblins had nearly fainted when she asked them if she could wash somewhere. They considered good hygene to be the one that smelt the worst, it seemed. But they had managed to gather some soap--though it was more for around-the-house cleaning then bathing--and warm enough water for her to take a bath in. She was glad. Though Jareth seemed to repell all sorts of dirt and odor, she wasn't as fortunate. Her hair was still wet, hanging to her hips.

Jareth removed his boots--again, Sarah noted, without smell--and took off his cape. He was about to unbutton his shirt when Sarah stopped him, "How undressed are you planning on being?"

He grinned, "I'd prefer to sleep in my breeches, thank you. I don't have to worry about biting insects in here."

Sarah thought it almost... human of him to be thinking of biting insects, but when he moved to unbutton his poets shirt she again stopped him, this time by taking two steps forward--the amount of space it took to cross from the door to the bed--and placing her hands over his. Jareth looked up at her, surprise apparent on his face. She moved his hands away from his shirt and unbuttoned the first button. Jareth shivered as she continued to unbutton him, his hands limp at his side. When the shirt was open as far as it would go--about half way--she smothed her hands along his naked chest as she bent down.

"Sarah..."

"Sh," she whispered against his lips, before closing the distance between them.

Sarah's fingernails dug into the skin of his chest and he made a low moan. Her tongue swept into his mouth, much like he had done earlier that day, tasting, touching, exploring. His hands reached up to bury in her hair and she moved her legs so that she was on the bed, stradling his waist. They worked at each other like the breath of life was in the other's mouth, devouring each other. She pulled hard on his shirt and it ripped down the middle. He made another sound as her nails raked up his chest to his shoulders, down his arms, and up to his hands. Then she broke the kiss and he was glowing again.

She smiled, "You're like a nightlight."

His mismatched eyes were darkened with need. He growled low in his throat and she laughed, standing. He removed the pieces of his shirt as he stared at her, standing there like some angel. He tossed the pieces to the floor as she stiffled another yawn. "I'm tired," she said quietly, "Let's go to bed."

His voice was like dark thunder, rolling towards her, "Lets."

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry folks, but that's where I leave you. There'll be more tomorrow or... well, there'll be more in the next chapter. Sorry for leaving you here, but I'm acting like a zombie again. Must... have... sleep... _grunt._

**Reads:**

**aibiki:** Inuyasha f/f, but I love her style of writing. I'm reading "A Cinderella Story" and I much like.

**Xeria Malstrum:** Another Inuyasha f/f that I'm becoming slightly obsessed with. Keep thinking about it. It's called "A Demon's Thoughts" and it's beautiful.

**BeautyBelle:-** Reading her Labyrinth story "Too Proud to Love". I'm not too proud to love it, though. Eh hehe, heheheh... yeah, that was lame...

**Amazonian21: **Thanks for all the reviews! go read her story "Muses", Labyrinth f/f

**Shout-Outs:**

**Gonzette:** Thank you so much for your reviews, I really appreciate them.

**Sennethe: **You're the only one to give me constuctive critisism so far and I love you for it! Thanks so much!

**Bree Mcgregor:** This is a little late but... thanks for reviewing!

**glass ivy: **Same here but... thank you!

And to my parents, because they're putting up with me hogging the computer all these longs nights (as well as my music).

Love you all and see you next chapter:

**CrimsonSympathy**


	11. In the Labyrinth: The Third Night

**A/N:** Okay, here it is. Major action in this chapter. If you're not interested in strong adult themes (_though I don't see how anyone isn't interested, personally)_ then I suggest you just skip over this chapter and onto the next. You'll get the basic idea of it later on...

* * *

Sarah woke slowly, her head throbbing. She had forgotten about the place where one of those chicken creatures had bashed her with a chunk of wood. She had no idea why she didn't notice it before. Gods, she was in pain.

It was still dark out, Jareth was pressed along her back, his breath lifting the hairs on her head. His arm was around her, so that they spooned almost perfectly to each other. She shifted her hand in the dark, lifting it to her temple. There was wetness there, and she cursed herself for not remembering. There was a large goose-egg that had formed. She had no doubt that it was going to be black and blue in the morning. It would play hell on her features.

Jareth's arm tightened around her and she felt him wake. The fire was still going, though lighter now, so she could see a bit in the thick shadows. "Sarah, love, what's wrong?"

"My head," she whispered, "I forgot about it."

He took away the arm that had been around her. She rolled onto her back and he moved so he could see her. She knew that it looked horrible when she saw the worry in his eyes, "Why didn't you tell me about it before?"

She gave a small smile and reached her fingers to touch it again, "Could you believe I didn't feel it until just now? It woke me up."

He frowned and traced the skin around the wound with his fingertips, feather light. But even that light touch brought a hiss of pain from her. "Sorry," he said. "Do you want me to heal it?"

She paused for a second, remembering their last "healing session". She still loved Michael, damn it, but...

_But what?_

"Sure," she said, her breath coming out in a sigh.

Jareth's hand cupped her cheek and turned her face to him. His lips fell upon the wound and she gave a small moan of pain. His tongue darted out, licking away the blood that had clotted around it. She could feel a tingle like a thousand tiny pinpricks on her temple. His hand went from her check down to her neck, sending a thrill through her. Sarah had the feeling that healing was more then just an ability for him. He acted like it was somehow pleasurable for him. _Not just for him,_ she thought briefly as his fingers played on the collar of her shift. She felt him start to un-tie the ribbons that held her shift open, and she didn't stop him.

_Can't._

She was healed, she knew it, but his lips stayed where they were as his hand worked lower. When the shift was open part of the way so her breasts showed, his lips lowered, tracing their way down her face, her cheek, to her mouth. He kissed her deeply, just as his hand slipped over her breast. She gasped against him as his tongue swept into her mouth.

His fingers traced around her nipple, making it hard against his palm. He made a low sound in his throat and he broke the kiss as his hands worked to untie the rest of her shift. Her hands lifted, fingers intwining in his golden locks. He looked at her, his head resting between the mounds of her breasts, "Say yes, Sarah," he whispered.

She stared down at him, his mismatched eyes burning, and she couldn't think of anything else to say. "Yes," she whispered back to him.

Jareth licked his way to one of her breasts, his mouth working at it until she made small sounds and her grip on his hair tightened. She moved her body against him, wanting. His hands were working on her shift, pulling it down around her shoulders and to her waist, until he had to break from her breast to uncover her completley. He paused for a moment, her shift in his hands. She lay naked before him, and she nearly glowed from the light of the flames upon her flesh. "You're beautiful," he murmured.

She sat up, tucking her legs under her, and kissed him softly. He had been glowing lightly for a while now, pale like moonlight on snow. She ran her hands along his chest and pressed herself to him, marveling in the feel of their naked skin touching. He was shivering lightly as her hands traced down his back to his breaches. "I'm not sure I know how to take these off," she whispered.

He laughed but it was cut short as her hands--which had found there way to his front--slid under the tight cloth and cupped him. "Gods," he sighed. He made a motion with his hand and the breaches were gone. Sarah made a small sound of protest, as though she had wanted to find a way, no matter how long it would have taken. He, however, didn't want to wait.

Jareth lifted her hands away from him and pushed her back down on the bed, gently. He took both her wrists in one hand and pressed them above her head, pining her. She stared at him, her mouth parted, her lips wet with their kisses. His other hand roamed down her face, her neck, her shoulders, her breasts, to her stomach and then slid inside her. She gasped, arching towards him. She was wet, more then ready. He carressed her for a moment, listening with closed eyes to her sighs and moans of pleasure. He had wanted this for far too long.

Jareth opened his eyes, his hand trailing back up to cup her breast. Her nipples were still hard, and he bent to trace his tongue around one. Sarah squirmed beneath him, "Oh, god, Jareth... I want you inside me." She was saying as his mouth worked at her. He lifted his head and positioned himself above her.

They stared into each others eyes for a moment, "Are you sure?" Jareth asked softly.

Sarah almost looked surprised, but it was lost in her need for him, "Yes." She said, clearly. Then, as he slid inside her, she moaned, "_Yes_..."

Jareth moved inside her, trying to find that perfect spot that would bring her quicker. When her breath halted and she whispered his name he knew he had found it and stayed there, pumping in and out. She squirmed under him, her breasts swaying with the movement of their union. Jareth watched her, memorized her. The way her hair fanned out on the bed and curled in places. How dark her lashes were against the skin of her cheek. Her mouth, lips glistening, opening and closing silently at times until he brought another sound from her. The curve of her body, how she strained against the hand holding her wrists, trying to touch him and yet wanting to remain there. Her stomach was smooth and bare, glimmering in the light of the fire and from his shine.

He was glowing brighter, like a captive star had found a way inside his body. It threw shadows on the walls and lit the place better then any fire ever could. It was when he realized that Sarah's eyes were open--her mortal eyes, which could barely stand the shine of fae skin--and that her body was answering with it's own soft-as-honey glow that he halted, and she cried out, "No!" Her legs tightened around him but it was a moment before he could take up the rhythm again. The shock of it hadn't yet had time to sink in when he was again carried away in that rhythm of lust, pumping furiously. Her cries were louder, spaced closer together. She managed to wiggle out of his grip and her hands found their way to his shoulders, fingernails digging in until he felt bits of blood trickle down his back.

He was close, he was very close, when she threw her head back, her fingernails digging in tighter, drawing a cry of mingled pain and pleasure from him. She screamed his name as she came. He followed her almost immediatley, his cry of "Sarah!" low and almost animalistic. He rolled onto his side, and she rolled with him, so their position was reversed. She drapped herself across him, her breath coming haltingly. He was gasping, from the mingled aftermath and realization...

_She's fae._

* * *

**A/N: **Not the best sex scene I've ever done but... _shrug_. But, oh, what's this? Yes, she's fae. I've actually got the whole story mapped out in my head. Only a few more chapters to go before it's done. The next chapter is going to be even greater influenced by Laurell K. Hamiltons Merry Gentry series. Just a bit but... you know, you'll get it. And anyone who hasn't read those books really should.

So the next chapter; show down with Dionysus. Wooo....

**Thanks to everyone who's reviewed! (and curse you who have read my story and haven't reviewed yet. I growl at you)**

**_Crimsonsympathy_**


	12. Peaches

There was a frantic knocking on the door before Hoggle broke the door down--literally--to find Sarah and Jareth lying together in a tangle of sheets. He quickly averted his eyes, "Lord Jareth," he said quickly, "Lady Sarah, I'm sorry, but we all felt it."

Sarah sat up, clutching a blanket to her chest, "Felt what?" Her heart was still pounding. She swept the hair out of her face, sweat still on her skin. Jareth motioned with his hands and he was in breaches again, off the bed and standing in front of his goblin.

"Look outside, yer majesty," Hoggle muttered, and ducked out. Jareth looked out, and gasped.

Rows upon rows upon rows--forming a neat orchard (almost a forrest)--of peach trees. Except that these didn't look like they were just recently planted. They looked as though they had been there for many years. All of the branches were heavy with fruit, some of them hanging near the floor. The air was ripe with the scent, and he wondered how he hadn't noticed before. Of course... he had brought her into her power. He himself was descended from several fey that used to be set up as love or fertility gods/goddessess in days of old when they still lived with the humans. Some if not most of his power derrived from seduction and--ultimatley--sex.

"Jareth?" Sarah came up behind him, wrapped in a sheet. Her hair was a curly mass falling down her back. He kissed her forehead before he could stop himself. "What's happened?" She was still glowing, oh-so-softly. She stared at her hands and glanced up at him again. One of her eyes was no longer brown but a heart-stopping emerald green. She hadn't seen that yet, and he wasn't about to point it out. It would probably upset her.

"Power," he whispered, stepping out onto the small porch of the cottage. The goblins of the village were wandering the old field, plucking fruit and taking bites, exclaiming that yes, indeed, it was real. Yes, indeed, it was good and filled the stomach. The few goblin huts that were near the cottage had trees growing around or in them. One goblin was exclaiming loudly to the Goblin King, "Came right through me livin' room! Me and me wife were in da bedroom when we hear this 'pop' and suddenly there's the scent o' peaches! Who'd have known!" He wasn't complaining that there was a tree in the middle of his house, in fact he seemed happy that he had one and no one else did.

Sarah's voice came from the inside of the cottage, "Jareth? Do you mind dressing me?"

He turned, his eyes still wide. She still didn't know, he had to tell her. First, though, he waved his hand and she was again in the leather outfit from earlier, though he had added a pair of boots instead of the nikes. She didn't seem to mind, though. She dropped the sheet and came to his side. "No, Jareth, really. What happened?"

"You came into power." He didn't know how to explain it better then that.

She frowned at him, "What?"

"You're fae, Sarah. I don't know how I didn't notice it before--but perhaps that was why I was drawn to you know that I think of it--but you're fae. Some relative in your past was a faerie-creature."

She stared at him, then smiled, "No way." She laughed, "You're pulling my leg, aren't you? An after-sex prank?"

He saw a glimmer of acceptance in those eyes, however. A part of her already believed him, but the speaking part of her wasn't it. "No, I'm not... pulling your leg? No, no, don't explain it to me, I'm sorry. I'm not playing a prank."

Her smile faded a bit and she looked at the trees again. She stepped off the porch and onto the grass. There was a tree only a foot or so from her. She reached up and grasped a low-hanging fruit. She turned to him, holding it, "You're saying that... we did this?"

"No. It's mostly your power, not mine. I just helped it along."

She stared, then looked down at the fruit. She took a bite and a trickle of juice ran down her chin. She chewed for a moment, swallowed and said, "It's a real peach." There was some fascination there.

"Yes, it's a real peach. Magic may have helped it along, but it's real." Standing there, bathed in the soft glow of the rising sun, a peach in her hand and it's juices still staining her lips, Jareth realized she was more then beautiful. She was much more. He also saw that in that moment, she believed him.

Sarah sank to her knees, cupping the peach in both her hands, staring at it wide-eyed. Hoggle came to stand by her shoulder, taller then she was in that position, "Sarah, don't be afraid," he said, "Yer sure to get used to it, in time."

Sarah bent her head so that Jareth couldn't see her from that position. Then she murmured something. Hoggle nodded solemnly but Jareth couldn't hear her. "What?"

She lifted her head. She had been crying, two streams of tears down her cheeks, "Peaches." She gave a weak smile, "That's what I was thinking about. Peaches."

Jareth didn't know what to say. He watched her, watched her as Hoggle patted her back and she cried more, but her eyes never left him. In a way she was happy, in a way she was angry. But no matter what, she blamed him for it.

_Shit_, he thought.

* * *

Dionysus watched as it all happened and was raging by the time Jareth and Sarah had discovered the orcherd. He picked up a random goblin in the throan room and flung it so that it flew into the opposite wall with a shrill cry. The creature slid to the floor and scuttled away, shrieking in pain. Dionysus couldn't help but smile at it. Kicking around the goblins never got tiring.

"Dionysus, my love, what's wrong?" Muniya whispered, her hands sliding across his shoulders.

"Jareth succeeded in his challenge."

"Oh," she said, turning him towards her, "That's no problem. There's always plan B."

"I'm afraid that won't work, my dear," he said, staring at her. She was the female version of himself. Black greasy hair hung around her shoulders and her beetle-black eyes were heavy-lided. She was scarred from many battles and hadn't bathed in quite a while. She wore a simple torn skirt, her breasts hanging bare and ugly, but Dionysus loved her anyway. She was the most capable goblin besides himself.

"Why not?" Her lips pouted out slightly and she grinned, showing rows of yellow and black teeth.

"He brought the girl into power. She's fae now."

Shock was clear for a moment, then Muniya recovered, "No problem. I've bested fae before, fae far older then she."

He smiled, "Of course. Do you wish to continue, then?"

"Of course."

"Get ready." He kissed her lightly and strode from the chambers. It was time for another talk with Jareth the Goblin King.

* * *

It took a moment for Sarah to calm down. Hoggle stroked her back and murmured things in her ear. Jareth wandered the fields--the orchard--and conversed with his goblins. Lots of "they're lovely!" and "how'd this happen" and "I haven't seen anything like this since our last ruler". Their last ruler, indeed, had brought a fae into power once (though it hadn't been through sex, but rather through a fight) and it had re-arranged the entire Labyrinth in a span of seconds. It was the most confussing thing that they had ever come across. Not only that but the places that used to be fields and country side were suddenly lush forests. An even smaller fae coming into power created the bog of eternal stench, Jareth recalled, though no one really remembered that anymore.

"Does anyone know how far it goes?" He asked a passing goblin.

It gave a small bow, "No, sire, no one really knows. All we knows is that its heres. That's alls."

"Mm, very well," Jareth tittered.

"Jareth, my challenger," came a voice to the side, in the shadows. The goblins that were wandering through gasped and scurried away. Dionysus watched them go like a cat watching a mouse. "It looks like you're successful."

"Looks like it," Jareth said, glancing over his shoulder.

"No, she can't hear us, don't worry. I'm pleased. I've always wanted to duel you, Jareth, and it looks like I'm about to get my chance." He crossed his arms over his chest, "What will be your weapon of choice?"

"Magic."

"I thought as much." But his grin didn't fall, even though he was lacking in the magic department, "I call blood equality."

Jareth, who had been half-listening to Dionysus, turned to him abruptly, "What?"

"You heard me."

Jareth stared, and then smiled himself, "You've named no one your equal--"

"Well, no," said Dionysus, still grinning, "Not when you were still king. But now... I've given that privilage to Muniya."

Jareth palled. He looked over his shoulder to Sarah, the newly formed fae. "You can't... she's... she's just come into power."

Dionysus laughed, "An orchard is all that's left of the only farm land we had inside the Labyrinth. The castle has rearranged itself. The dining room is where my bedroom should be, I haven't yet found it. The private gardens around the castle have turned into rosebushes--do you know how I detest rose bushes? The sky has already returned to its normal color. A creature I had slaughtered last night has risen back to life and you think that she's not ready for a little duel. Come now, Jareth, I think you underestimate her."

"Who did you kill?"

"Oh, no one important. Some great red thing that was just wandering around doing nothing and making a nuisance of himself. Really, Jareth, you should have killed it ages ago. But, alas, it lives now."

"If," Jareth said through gritted teeth, "I was to kill every icompetent creature in my lands you would have been murdered with most of the population many moons ago."

"Oh," cried Dionysus, smiling, "I do love it when you lapse into that beloved fae-speech. Please do it again." He clapped his hands, "You know, maybe I won't kill you. Maybe I'll keep you around as my court jester. You'd be allowed to live..." his smile faded then. "Jareth," he whispered, "You'll find the path to the city clear now. The Labyrinth will give you no more riddles. I suggest you rest before our duel and prepare our newly-found fae. I challenge you and your blood equal to a duel to me and my equal at sundown. To the death. Be there Jareth or..." he laughed, suddenly, stepping back into the shadows. He disappeared, but his voice echoed around Jareth, "Be square."

Jareth took a moment to think, to fume. Sarah couldn't possibly win a match against a goblin who had almost bested himself once upon a time. She might have come into power and done many magnificent things but... in a duel it is different. She needed to kill in order to win. _Shit_, he thought again, _shit, shit, shit._

And, with that, he turned on his heel and marched back to where he had left Sarah and her friend.

* * *

**A/N:** Okay, so this wasn't the duel, sorry. Two more chapters until the duel. The story is planning much more then I wanted it to. Won't be long now, though. As always, review and I'll love you to pieces. Thanks so much to those that already have.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Labyrinth or its characters. I got the glowy idea, the "coming into power through sex or violence" idea and the fruit tree idea (though it was a cherry tree in "Seduced By Moonlight", the third Merry Gentry book, and only one) from Laurell K. Hamilton's "Merry Gentry" series.

**All my love (REVIEW!)**

_**Crimsonsympathy**_


	13. Annoyances and Musings

**A/N: **WOOHOO! I got my computer back! Okay, so it still has some minor problems but... I have spell check again. Joy of all joys. So this next chapter is going to AGAIN use a reference from the Merry Gentry books (Do I have an original thought in my head anymore?) by Laurell K. Hamilton. I'm afraid the duel between Jareth and Dionysus is going to be postponed until next chapter. Sorry.

* * *

"Green. Why'd it have to be green? I don't even LIKE green."

Sarah was examining her eyes in a mirror Hoggle had produced out of-seemingly-nowhere. Goblins were crafty creatures, however, and knew all the shortcuts. It was entirely possible that he had simply put his hand in a place where a hidden doorway was. Full of mirrors, perhaps. But who knew? Maybe he did know a little magic.

Jareth was tired. He had used quite a large amount of energy the previous day, nonetheless the nights little romp, and now he was very much in need of a good rest. Sleeping until noon looked highly possible. "They look beautiful, love."

Sarah didn't respond, instead glanced up to Hoggle, "Do you like the color green?"

Jareth sighed and collapsed onto the bed. Sarah and Hoggle were sitting at the table and both were ignoring him splendidly. He didn't know why. It wasn't his fault. He had brought her into power, but that was bound to happen to her no matter if he had been around or not. It wasn't like he had whispered in some Fae's ear however many years back and asked them to screw her ancestors. He didn't know why they were being so hard on him.

Then again, she had gone through some emotional trauma and in situations like that humans often tried to find someone to blame. He shrugged inwardly and laid down, his arm slung over his eyes.

Sarah glanced up soon enough to see Jareth roll on his side, away from them, "You tired?"

He gave a soft laugh but didn't move, "I don't know about you, but I've used an awful lot of energy. My bones ache." Inwardly, he was glad she had asked.

Sarah shook her head. She felt tired, too, but didn't feel like joining him just yet. Her body ached, and she wasn't sure if it was from sex or their travels. Maybe a little bit of both. Hoggle looked at her and smiled, "E's right, Sarah, yer look awful' pretty like this." He paused, and then added, "Prettier."

She laughed, "Thanks."

Jareth's voice came floating over again, "Hog-brain?"

"Hoggle," He sniffed.

"Yes, yes," he said dismissively, "Entertain the Lady Sarah. I need some rest."

Hoggle rolled his eyes but didn't complain. Moments later the Goblin King was asleep.

* * *

The sun was low, but not too low. They had a few hours left until the duel. Jareth had a sick feeling in his stomach. She was fae, so she stood some chance, but she hadn't yet gotten a hold of her powers. She would be gifted with a ability-they usually manifested themselves in hands-but who know how long it would be until she could unlock it? And even if she managed to tonight, who knew if it was going to be significant enough to withstand Muniya? Jareth knew she was a far better magic-wielder then some fae. There was a good chance that Sarah would not survive the night.

His heart was heavy. He had already explained all of this to Sarah and she had paled. But when he backtracked to the talk Dionysus and himself had had in the orchard-excluding any mention of the challenge, of course-Sarah had grown angry. "He meant Ludo, didn't he?" She hissed, "That son of a bitch."

At further questioning Jareth agreed that Ludo was probably in danger now for having the audacity to rise from the dead.

Jareth's thoughts again turned to her powers. She had already shown signs of increased strength and he had taken a few hours to explain swordsmanship. When she pointed out that the weapon to be used was magic he said, "I can conjure a sword and, since you are my equal, it is like you doing it. Though I cannot fight your battle, I can help you along. You're good enough at swords; this may give you an edge." _An edge you'll need,_ he thought to himself grimly, _for Muniya will slay you if she finds out you cannot use magic, and fighting with swords may bring out your power._

He had tried a few times to shock the magic out of her by getting particularly close with the blade but, apparently, she trusted him. If she trusted him he probably couldn't get any magic out of her.

And, anyway, if she had a hand like... the hand of healing, it would only give Muniya another edge. Sarah might come into her powers and find that her opponent was completely healed. That wouldn't be the best of powers to get, considering the circumstances.

Jareth had many powers. Some, that came from being Goblin King, were starting to itch again. Though he hadn't yet won his right through combat, many of the goblins already accepted him as king-again. It seemed that those who had doubted him hated Dionysus now. So some of those things were starting to come back-powers like teleportation, influence over time, the creation and re-ordinance of different planes of existence for example. But his real powers he didn't use that often.

Crystals came with his certain line-the line of Illusion, a particularly fierce and ambitious group of fae-and were his birth-right. From a very young age he could conjure them. Use them to transport objects, creatures. Create things, illusions especially. They were good for summoning and watching, too. They were a tool that many fae wished to have and never got.

His hands, though, were where two different powers had manifested themselves. His left hand held the power of healing, a particularly handy magic in any battle. His right, however, held a very dreadful and feared magic. The magic of darkness.

Jareth could, in affect, use shadows, darkness, things that bowed to death, things that _were_ dead to aide him in battle. He could rise armies from their graves and set them to march against his foes. He could wrap someone in shadows and nightmares for the rest of their lives which-for some-was an eternity. He could call forth the creatures that feasted on dead things and use them against his enemy. As he grew, so did this particular power. It went from calling mere shadows to being able to raise thousand-year-old corpses from their tombs. It was a dreadful thing, one which Jareth used seldom and without real pride. But while he was there, in the center of that dreadful energy, he enjoyed it. Perhaps a little too much. It disturbed him, sometimes.

"Jareth?"

He turned, his eyes wide when he saw who had spoken. It was his mother, walking towards him in a fan of deep crimson skirts and a black cloak. She smiled at him. She had one blue eye and one black. Her lips were painted red, her black hair was pulled into a tight bun. She was an inch shorter then he. She was old, but she still looked young, a privilege of the fae. Her name was Kabira. "Mother."

"Dionysus let me in," she spoke softly and without emotion, "I came to wish you luck."

"I thought Queen Titania didn't want you to come to the Labyrinth."

She smiled again, "Queen Titania thinks that this is a different situation."

He looked away, "Did you hear about Sarah?"

"Hm? Who's Sarah?" She came to stand beside him, watching the sun through the leaves of the peach trees. Then she made an 'ah' sound and clicked her tongue, "The mortal that bested your Labyrinth what was it... seven years ago, yes?"

"Yes, her."

"What about her?"

"She's here."

His mother turned, her eyebrows raised, "Really?"

As if called, Jareth heard Sarah behind him, "Hey Jareth, the sun's gonna set in a few hours. Shouldn't we get going?"

Jareth and his mother turned at the same time and Sarah stopped in her tracks. The woman was striking, straight-backed and proud. She could see the family resemblance-even though their looks weren't entirely the same-immediately. Jareth's face was in a cold, arrogant mask. His mother was regarding her with some curiosity. "Well, well," she whispered, "Jareth..." she said his name like poisoned honey, "I thought you told me she was mortal."

"I thought she was," he replied without emotion.

"How silly of you," she whispered, and started towards Sarah. She backed up a step and Kabira laughed, "Don't be silly, little one, I won't hurt you." She reached out a gloved hand and touched Sarah's cheek lightly, "You have beautiful eyes."

Sarah did back up, though, away from the woman's touch. Her entire stance was cautious. She didn't know what to think of the woman. Kabira only laughed. She turned to Jareth, "Isn't she lovely? How did you ever mistake her as human?"

"I was human," Sarah said, softly but clearly. Kabira looked at her, a smile still tracing her lips, "Until last night, I didn't look like this."

"Last... night?" Kabira's eyebrows were rising so high they might disappear into her hair, and then she laughed. Her whole body relaxed, "Oh," she said, laughing. "Jareth... you busy boy."

Jareth frowned, "Mother."

Kabira stopped laughing and glared at her son, "Don't presume to order me around, Jareth."

"I am in my own kingdom, mother, I can do what I wish."

Sarah thought for a moment his mother would say something scathing, but she closed her mouth and frowned prettily. "Well," she said softly, "I didn't think you'd respond so to a little light teasing. I was only trying to make conversation, Jareth."

Sarah thought talking about her sex life was a rather odd way of 'trying to make conversation'.

Jareth moved to his mother side and, with his eyes on Sarah, he said simply and, again, without emotion, "I shine for her."

Sarah had heard him say the very same thing and seen the reaction with those chicken creatures, but she hadn't been expecting the reaction she got from Kabira. Her smile was completely gone, her arms fell limp to her sides (where they were clutched to her chest in laughter a moment before) and she sighed. She looked at the ground and, a minute later, looked at her son with tears streaming down her face. She turned to him and kissed him on the mouth, then disappeared. Sarah gasped.

Jareth shook his head, "She delights in making an appearance and-in this case-a disappearance."

Sarah looked at him for a moment, a frown on her face, "Why has everyone reacted so to you saying you shine for me?"

Jareth paused, considering how to say it. Then, "A fae shines for one person in their entire lifetime-the one their truly meant to be with. I've spent the last four hundred years without it. Some thought that I was never meant to be with anyone, and that was part-though a very small part-of why I was assigned Goblin King. To say that I shine for you means that you are my" he again, paused, "True love."

Sarah gaped. She didn't know what to say. Jareth turned from her and started walking between the rows of trees. He stopped a good twenty feet from where he had left her, rooted to the spot, "We should go, like you said. Come on."

And, unable to do much else, Sarah followed him.

* * *

**A/N:** _Heaves gigantic sigh of relief..._ man, that chapter was hard to write. I mucho apologize for not getting it up sooner but it kept re-writing itself. It's not the best, but, believe me, there were worse.

So... next chapter... dueling! It'll be the first magical-fight-scene I've written in my seven-year-writing-career (that's able to be traced back on paper). Hope I do alright.

**Review Please!**

Always,

_**Crimsonsympathy**_


	14. Dueling Preperations

Jareth's eyes were mismatched like Sarah's were now. She was walking in front of him, but walking backwards, staring at his eyes. One of them was a very light green, not at all like the emerald-colored one of her own, and one of them... changed colors. Or that's what she had concluded. It was dark, for one thing, but it was constantly changing. Hazel, emerald, sapphire, ruby, black, and she even thought she saw it turn yellow once.

She had been walking backwards for only a few moments when Jareth said, "You'll twist your ankle that way. Nothing I can't heal, but it'll hurt in the meantime."

She took a few more seconds to examine his eyes as they flickered between violet and hazel and blue again before she sighed and took her place at his side, walking forward now. The path they were on was clear and headed straight to the gates of the Goblin City. "Your eyes change colors," Sarah stated, as they crested the second hill that eventually dumped into the castle.

"Yes, I know."

"Why's that?"

"Because my powers haven't completely manifested."

"My eyes aren't changing colors and I haven't picked up on any powers yet."

He chuckled, "Your powers have been chosen for you. That they haven't shown themselves yet is just a minor inconvenience. The goddess has not yet decided what else to give me, and so my eyes change. Or that's what Queen Titania has told me."

"Who's this Queen Titania?"

"Queen of Faerie. Or, otherwise, Queen of the Underground."

Sarah raised an eyebrow, "Really? Queen over you?"

"Of course."

Sarah for some reason couldn't imagine anyone 'ruling' Jareth the Goblin King. "Hm." She said softly.

They didn't speak for a long time. Long enough to reach the gates of the Goblin City. Jareth was calm, collected, or at least seemed that way. Inside he was screaming, running different scenarios. He wasn't worried about his own well-being, he knew he could best Dionysus in a duel but... even if he did... there was Sarah to think about.

The rules of blood-bond dueling was this; the winners of the duels shared whatever prize it was that was up for stake. This meant that if Muniya won the duel over Sarah, Jareth would be forced by oath to let her share his thrown. The thought turned his stomach. And, likewise, if it was the other way around... even though unlikely... Sarah wouldn't know what to do with a Labyrinth, and Dionysus... even the thought of him being in the same room with her boiled his blood. Dionysus would see Sarah as a pretty young thing to be seduced and, if not, just plain taken. She was in danger of more then her life. He hated to sound so post-modern but... her honor was at stake.

Sarah, too, looked calm, but her insides were squirming. A duel, a real duel. Sure she had seen them on T.V. and read a few novels that had fight scenes in them, but she had never actually, in person (save for the few and far between concert brawls) had seen a fight. It scared her. And magic scared her even more. From what Jareth had told her, Muniya had bested fae that were thousands of years old and well-trained in magic. She used her ruthlessness and cruelty as a tool, something that Fae wouldn't expect. Sarah hoped that she would be okay. She hoped more, though, that Jareth would be okay.

She hadn't yet seen Dionysus or Muniya for long amounts of time (hadn't seen Muniya at all), but from what Jareth had said, they had seen many goblin and Fae battles and had come back from it marked with the ideals and training of a veteran soldier. They were dangerous. Very dangerous. When Sarah asked him why he had even let such creatures exist in his kingdom he had shrugged, "If I was to destroy every creature unworthy to walk the earth, this kingdom would be much more deserted."

Sarah had nodded and concentrated on her practicing. She was amazed how familiar the hilt of a sword felt in her hand now. She has asked Jareth to conjure her a magic sword which now hung from a scabbard and belt slung low on her hips. The sword was long and as wide as her hand, but it was lighter then it let up. It had been sharpened to a suicidal point. When she had merely brushed a strand of her hair against the edge, it had sliced cleanly in half. She whistled appreciatively and thanked Jareth. They weren't sure if it would be taken away from her at the beginning of the duel, but it wasn't likely. It was, after all, a magic sword, and magic was the weapon of choice. As long as they didn't mention that it was Jareth's magic and not hers, they should be fine.

At the gates of the Goblin City, there were swarms of goblins. Little ones, big ones. Far away she spotted a great shaggy beast that she immediately recognized. Ludo was waving at her and tossing goblins out of the way. But she didn't get a chance to speak with him or see him up close before she was herded toward the center of the crowd, where a large arena had been set up. In it were two of the foulest and ugliest goblins she had seen thus far. One of them was distinctly female, her great breasts hanging bear and pitch black on her stomach. She wore a skirt of leather and a broadsword. Her hair was tied back, and she held herself with pride. Shoulders straight, head back, hands clasped behind her and her legs spread apart. The man beside her was Dionysus, much like Sarah remembered, in much the same stance, except he was grinning at the crowd.

Jareth was wearing a leather breastplate that at first looked like leather to Sarah, but glimmered in the setting sun like polished silver. When she had asked him what it was, he had remarked casually, "Dragon scales." He was likewise wearing the dragon scales over his black breaches and his bare arms. He had black boots of the same material. Other then the armor and the breaches, he was bare. Sarah wore the same leather outfit, but Jareth had made it thicker and easier to move in. He had also added armor to her arms and legs that he had conjured from one of his crystals. It looked like glass, but was bendable and strong. "Stronger then the dragon scales," he had remarked, "But it will disappear tomorrow. We should be done by then, however." Her hair was tied in a braid down her back and her face was clear and handsome. Her lips were colored and her cheeks flushed from their journey. At her insistence, Jareth had given her back her black Nikes. They didn't clash with the outfit much, except for the silver swoosh.

Jareth stopped ten paces from Dionysus and cross his arms over his chest, giving a small bow, then announced in a loud and clear voice that echoed over the quieting crowd; "I challenge you, Dionysus, Rebel Leader and current King of Goblins to a duel to the thrown of the Goblin City."

There were cheers from behind Jareth and Sarah. It was obviously Jareth's supporters.

Dionysus likewise crossed his arms over his chest and gave Jareth a small bow, saying in a gravely but thunderous voice; "Jareth, former Goblin King, son of Kabira of the Illusion line and Raghnall of the Shadow line, fourth in line to the thrown of the Unseelie of the Fae, welcome. I accept your challenge."

Cheers rose from in front of them, goblins stamping there feet and waving pieces of cloth in the air in support of Dionysus.

Jareth glanced at Sarah, and she stepped forward, bowing her head to Muniya and tapping her fist to her forehead just like he had instructed, reciting the words that he had taught her. "I, Sarah Williams of the Aboveground have been challenged by blood bond to duel Muniya of the Darkness clan as Jareth's equal."

A hush fell over the crowd that was still, as though the entire crowd had taken a breath and held it.

Muniya smiled coldly and bowed her head as well, taking her hands out from behind her and tapping her fist to her forehead. "I, Muniya of the Darkness clan, accept the challenge of Sarah Williams of the Aboveground on terms of blood bond as Dionysus's equal."

Cheers and hollers rose from in front of Jareth and Sarah. Sarah's eyes widened a tad, and Muniya's grin widened. She could almost smell the new Fae's fear. Soon cheers were rising from behind them, as the entire stadium was full of supporters of either side. Sarah spied Ludo and Hoggle and—gods, she hadn't thought she would encounter him yet—Sir Didymus clapping and bouncing up and down, waving a multi-colored flag that said, "Heil Sarah!" in gold letters. Sarah smiled, and Muniya's own grin faded.

And old and wizened wizard was coming towards them, hunchbacked with his hands clasped behind his back. He was shaking his head and muttering to himself. From what Sarah caught of it as he came near was, "Never in my life would I thinks to see something like this, oh no, not evers. To think, an abovegrounder challenging Muniya of the darkness clan... Jareth's equal... bah!" Sarah frowned at his back, annoyed. Jareth had already explained that Jeremiah, the man in question, was to signal the beginning of the battle. Jeremiah was apparently the advisor to the crown and the overseer of all games in the Labyrinth. Apparently a duel counted as a 'game'. Sarah didn't see how.

The wizened man stood in the middle of the four, so that he was at an equal distance from all of them. Then, with a voice Sarah hadn't thought he possessed (though it seemed everyone could shout put their mind to it) exclaimed, "The terms of the duel are this; magic is to be the only weapon. A weapon of non-magical quality immediately disqualifies the player and gives the winning title to thee challenger. This is a duel to the death. Players, show thy weapons."

Sarah unsheathed her sword at the same time Muniya did. Jareth conjured a crystal and Dionysus conjured a crystal that wasn't as round, or as large, or as clear as the one that Jareth held. By the slight widening around Jareth's eyes, however, she knew Dionysus hadn't been able to do that before.

Jeremiah peered at each of the weapons. Sarah could feel the wind of the old mans power beating against her and her sword like wings. The sword hummed and vibrated in her hands, but didn't break apart like Jareth said it would if it wasn't deemed worthy. Then, as the pressure was released, Jeremiah shook his head again and said clearly, "You may begin."

* * *

**A/N: **Um... yeah, I know... this still... isn't the duel... and, I have an excuse, really, I do. It was just that I wanted to keep the duel to one chapter without having to explain all the stuff I did in this chapter first. I'm getting around to it, though. I still have a half pot of coffee and two more hours of wakefulness in front of me. I might just put up the dueling chapter tonight—who knows? But please don't hurt me. It'll be good, I promise.

**Thank you so much to those that have reviewed. You've helped more then you thought you could. I'm much obliged. **

_**Crimsonsympathy**_


	15. The Duel

Jeremiah disappeared in a puff of gray smoke and it wasn't even dissipated by the strong breeze in the time it took Dionysus to rush Jareth. Sarah watched them only for a moment before Muniya was on her, shrieking.

Sarah sword was still in her hands and she lunged towards Muniya, trying to slice her in half. Muniya moved faster then she looked able, her broadsword spinning like a baton as she nearly brought it crashing down on Sarah's head. Sarah moved, panting, all senses towards her opponent even though a small part of her was screaming over Jareth.

Muniya grinned at her and lunged. Sarah avoided it, dodging to the side. Muniya wrapped her arms around Sarah's waist and threw her to the ground, "Stop thinking about your pretty boy!" She screeched, wild eyes a red glow framed by her greasy hair, "He can't save you now!"

Behind them there was a crash like rolling thunder that was heard even above the cheering crowd. Sarah rolled as Muniya brought her sword down, on her feet in a second. She swung her sword in an arch, hoping to catch the goblin unaware, but to no avail. Muniya dodged, skipping backwards on little feet. She was bloody fast.

Sarah's arm hurt from practice already, and the throb of it distracted her while Muniya swiped with a small dagger she had conjured in her left hand. The blade graced off the armor at Sarah's belly and left a black mark on the glass-like substance. She scowled, "More magic?" She asked, her voice dripping with venom. "Poor dear can't protect herself properly, eh?"

Sarah ignored her. She knew some people liked to talk while fighting to be intimidating, but she wasn't one of them. She listened, but didn't respond. She reached forward, this time with the hand that wasn't holding the sword, and gasped Muniya's greasy hair by the ponytail on her head. Muniya gave out a shriek as her sword came up, but Sarah was quicker. She sliced, and blood spilled on the dirty ground. Muniya shrieked again, this time with outrage. Sarah let her go, and they both moved back from each other, scuttling over the hard-packed ground. Sarah had cut Muniya's arm, a deep gash that was oozing blood at a dangerous rate. Sarah hoped it killed her, but she was looking more for immobilization. She had gone for the arm Muniya was using in battle, hoping to cripple it in a way to get the upper hand. She was sourly disappointed when Muniya's grip on the hilt of her sword tightened instead of loosened.

Sarah heard a cry from behind her and turned her head. Wrong. Muniya was upon her in a flash. Sarah had a moment to see Jareth on his knees, bleeding, before she felt Muniya's dagger cut into the flesh of her leg. She gave a cry and tried to stab with her sword, but her grip was awkward and the sword almost slipped from her grasp. Muniya laughed and danced away. "Eye for an eye!" She called out, circling Sarah like a predator.

Sarah watched her, matching her circling. She could see Jareth's battle out of the corner of her eye. Jareth was up again, bleeding but up. She prayed to the gods that the wound was shallow. Muniya leapt at her, and she was ready.

Sarah grabbed Muniya's left wrist with lighting fast reflexes, turning it away from the goblins body with a snap. She heard Muniya's shriek of pain and ignored it. She was focusing on the broadsword that was coming down at her, preparing to slice her in two. Her own sword lifted and they struck each other with a clang and then, suddenly, the blades disappeared. Muniya gave a howl of triumph and twisted away, throwing the hilt of what used to be her magical broadsword to the ground, useless now. Sarah stared at her out of the corner of her eye, not knowing what to do. She had been relying on the sword. _Stupid,_ she thought, _stupid, stupid, stupid git. You knew she was better then you. You knew she had more tricks._

"Wondering where your pretty sword went?"

Sarah didn't answer.

Muniya cackled, "Power on power. They balanced each other out and destroyed one another. The other side effect is a fusing of both swords into a stronger one. Pity the magic didn't take the latter. That would have been amusing. I might have let you have the sword for the hell of it. But now, pretty fae, it gets serious."

Muniya had thrown away the dagger too, Sarah noticed. Her hand were inches apart and spreading. The shadows thickened between the palms of the goblins hands, and it cast light like a neon sign on her grinning face. It was now quite dark out, the sun almost all the way set. The goblins in the arena were still cheering. Muniya was laughing, and Sarah didn't know what to do.

Muniya rushed her, raising a hand that held an orb of energy in it, prepared to slam it into the chest of her opponent.

Time seemed to slow down. Jareth had turned from his battle, already winning, to see Muniya rush Sarah. He called out her name, and Sarah glanced over. She saw Jareth's face, and she smiled. She didn't know why, she did. She felt an itching in her hand, like some giant feather was tickling her, its bristles rough but heavy. She turned back to her opponent, and held out her right hand. She felt something gathering there like electricity, like there was a ball of twine re-wrapping itself, pulling its strings from deep inside her body. It felt... wondrous and painful and... everything at the same time. She looked at Muniya, and she smiled wider.

Muniya was about to deliver the killing blow when green and purple flames danced up Sarah's arm to her hand, and shot out at the goblin. It was a power she hadn't been expecting, a power she was secretly dreading. Because what can darkness stand against the light and warmth of fire?

Muniya burst into flames, screaming. Jareth and Dionysus had both stopped their battle, both horrorstruck. There was a rancid, heavy, overwhelming smell coming from the burning goblin. It ran down noses, into the mouth and down the throat, coating the lungs. Goblins from the crowd were gagging and coughing. The smell of burnt flesh, the taste of it, was too much to bear. Many goblins were sick with it. Sarah, however, didn't feel a thing. Except, perhaps, the power rushing through her. It was like she was a battery for the power of earth, which rushed through her feet, slammed into her body and found the only outlet in the dancing multi-colored flames that did not hurt her, only tickled lightly. Muniya burned and burned and burned, until she was no more.

Sarah came to herself as soon as the flames on her arms died and the arena was again dark. Cheers and hollers and smells and sounds were coming in from all directions. She saw Jareth, saw the look on his face, saw Dionysus taking the moment of stunned horror to attack Jareth while he was not looking, and cried out.

Jareth turned, in his hands were balls of light. Dionysus's eyes widened as he fell to the ground before it, on his knees. Jareth raised his hand, and a sword formed, "For thy penalties. For your treason against your... KING!" Jareth roared the last word.

Dionysus, though, didn't look at Jareth as his death came upon him in a swing of shimmering iron. He looked at Sarah and, using the last of his magical abilities, cast out this thought to her, which reverberated not only in her head, but the minds of all the goblins gathered, and Jareth himself. _His task was to seduce you, Sarah Williams. Do you think he'll care once I'm gone?_

Jareth was still over the carcass of that which had caused him so much trouble, and more trouble still with his dying words—thoughts. He could feel the eyes of thousand of goblins upon him but most of all the gaze of Sarah Williams. The only woman he had ever loved.

He couldn't think. The words came to him as though someone else was speaking them, ringing out across the field like bells, "I and my equal have won the right to rule over the Goblin City again. My place has been taken back in the blood of my enemies. Do you, my goblins, accept me as king?"

There was a deafening roar of 'yes' and 'hurrah' and 'long live the king'. Sarah didn't say a thing. She was staring at Jareth's back. He turned to her, blood splattered along his front, two wounds on his side and blood smeared over his face. He stared at her with mismatched eyes that held a wisdom she had yet to gain, and in them she saw sadness. Regret. But all she felt was hatred.

"So mote it be." Jareth whispered, even though it carried. The goblins repeated it, each and every one. And just like that, Jareth was once again king of the Goblins. King of the Labyrinth. Everything he had ever wanted, and yet his heart was feeling black and his insides like clay. Sarah looked at him with disbelief and hurt in her eyes. He would give it all up again if he didn't have to see that, but such is life.

_Yes,_ he thought to himself grimly, _such is life._

* * *

**A/N: **Hurrah for my first fight-scene ever! Hurrah! Thank you to Anita Blake and Merry Gentry (Laurell K. Hamilton) books for helping me along! I'm glad I got this chapter up tonight. It's been killing me. Had it in my head ever since I started this confounded story that isn't so original and yet I'm addicted to. I hope you all liked it. Please review if you can. Next chapter to be up... whenever.

**Thank you all and see you next time,**

_**Crimsonsympathy**_


	16. The Castle Beyond the Goblin City

Sarah was staring out the window of her bedroom. Jareth had been surrounded by his subjects after the duel. She had stood rooted to the spot until Ludo, Hoggle and Sir Didymus appeared at her elbow, exclaiming over her new powers. Sarah had hugged Ludo and stayed close for a while. She remembered that he had died the night before, and wondered how it felt. She suspected it felt something like this.

She had been betrayed. She had trusted him, shown herself to him, and he had used it. The entire time he had been challenged to seduce her? Then what was real, and what wasn't? Was he telling the truth when he talked about the shine, or when they had had their intimate conversations underneath a blanket of stars? It felt like something was lodged in the bottom of her throat and she was actually happy when a goblin appeared next to her and announced that there was a room prepared for her in the castle, if she wished to retire. She had wished her friends goodnight and promised to visit in the morning. She ached. She didn't know from what yet. Her head was light, numb. She followed the goblin into the castle, through corridors that twisted like the maze of the Labyrinth itself, until finding her way into a room. She had a few moments to think, 'It's all blue' before she had sunk into a bed and fallen asleep.

Now she watched the sun rise above the line of the Labyrinth. During the night you couldn't see the maze at all, as though it was just one large dark valley spread out at the foot of the castle. As the sun rose it was like a magician pulling back the veil of his latest mystery. The Labyrinth appeared slowly, spread out like a giant miss-matched quilt. The Labyrinth had turned back to it's beautiful earthly-brown color, instead of the black sooty quality it had had when she first arrived. The sun was yellow, the sky was blue. Everything was as it ought to be.

Sarah turned to her room. The bed wasn't a four-poster like she had been expecting (for some reason she always expected four posters in castles), but rather a great square thing with no headboard to speak of. It was laden with silk blankets and satin sheets, fleecy pillows and poofs that were like a cloud to sleep on. She hadn't even removed her armor last night, but she had slept soundly. Now she looked around, and even though the room was intensely beautiful, she merely sighed and wondered where the bathroom was.

The bed, the drapes framing the two ten-foot-tall windows, the throw rugs tossed here and there were blue. It ranged from the deepest midnight blue—almost black—to a soft pastel blue that was a close cousin to white. It was all wonderful and grand and pretty, but she had no eyes for it. Her mind was thinking only one thing; Jareth.

Sarah spied a door between the vanity and a large desk, which could either lead to a closet or a bathroom. She decided to try it.

It lead to a bathroom. A raised claw-footed tub that was much larger then the ones she'd seen in stores took up a good portion of it. To her left was another door, which she opened and, as she guessed, led to a closet full of gowns, shoes, breaches, shirts and other such clothing. She shook her head and looked around for a towel. She opened several drawers in a great cherry wood vanity before she found them, fleecy and a royal cerulean blue. She closed the door to the rest of the bedroom and turned on the faucets, letting the water fill the tub, warm and steaming. She undressed herself, and noted only faintly that the armor had faded just like Jareth said it would. She felt so dirty after what she had done to Muniya the night before, a dirt that couldn't be scrubbed off. When she stepped into the tub, the water was scalding and she winced, but she lowered herself into it nonetheless.

Her skin turned red immediately and she sat there, boiling, for a moment before running a little more cold water. There were glass decanters that held soap, smelling strongly of lavender and strawberries, the glass they were made with a colored blue. She washed herself, quickly and efficiently, thinking. She was tired of thinking. All she thought about was the much dreaded encounter with the Goblin King. They couldn't avoid each other forever, could they? No, surely not.

Sarah stepped out of the tub and let it drain, pulling a towel around her and fastening it and wrapping her hair with another. She walked into the closet and ran her hands over silks, cottons, and satins. Everything was of finest quality, and Sarah knew that everything had been made to fit her. Even the breaches and shirts would show off her form to its best. Damn it.

But, then again, she had no desire to do anything with the King intimately at the moment. A cruel side of her wanted to wear the more elaborate gowns that required corsets and lace stockings so that he would see her in magnificence and realize what he had thrown away. Another part of her just wanted to get dressed, blast what for.

She chose a blue dress, in the mid-range. It didn't require a corset, but she picked out some silk slippers and lacy stockings to go along with them. When she turned from that particular rack, she saw a box that hadn't been there (undoubtedly it was magic) and opened a drawer. Inside was a silver chain, on which hung a beautiful blue fire opal, the size of the pad of her thumb. She knew something like that would cost thirty grand in the states easy. She lifted it from its box and the drawer slid shut by itself with almost a happy click, as though it was glad she had chosen something. She couldn't help a small smile. She got dressed.

* * *

Jareth hadn't slept all night. The goblins had celebrated for several hours in the throne room and he had supervised them, making sure they didn't do anything too horrible. The height of excitement was when a few goblins took the vulture off Jareth's thrown, placed it on his head, and paraded him around the room singing a drunken theme with several different, broken, tunes of "for he's a jolly good fellow". Jareth was bored, but he didn't know what else to do.

Close to three in the morning he had taken leave to go back to his own chambers. He spent a long time controlling his need to conjure a crystal and find out how Sarah was handling things. Was she sleepless, just like he?

He had never had to handle something like this before in his life. But, then, he had never loved someone before. Never withheld something this large from them. He stared out the window, watched the sunrise just like Sarah did after waking on the opposite side of the castle. Two hours after sunrise, Jareth turned himself into his owl form (a power derived from his place as Goblin King as well) and flew over the Labyrinth, trying to cleanse his fears in the rush of air and peace that the sky brought him.

* * *

Sarah paced. Her skirts swished around her legs like a caress. It had proved to be low-cut, and the blue fire opal hung right above the mounds of her breasts like it and the dress were made for each other. She wouldn't be surprised if they were. The slippers were one-inch heels, and made softly clicking noises on the stone, until she stepped onto one of the throw rugs, where it was muffled again. She kept thinking. Thinking, thinking, thinking. The Labyrinth, the challenge, Michael, Dionysus, Toby, her stepmother, her father... everything. Jareth... Jareth, Jareth, Jareth.

"GODS!" Sarah screamed, and it echoed along the stone walls.

Why did she feel this way? Her throat was tight with anger, but every single time she thought of his face her stomach clenched in a way that was painful but pleasant. He betrayed her. He betrayed _her. _Was the shining just a fib? Hell, was everything just a lie to get her to sleep with him? She couldn't put it beneath Jareth. So he had sacrificed a goblin or two, what of it? Yeah, that had to be it. It was all one big stinking plot to get her in his bed. The bastard, the mother fuc—

_No,_ the other side of her reasoned, _no, you saw him. You saw his face. You saw his compassion behind that mask of coldness. He's real. He's so real._

Sarah stopped, closed her eyes, her arms straight, her hands balled into fists. "Stop it," she whispered, tears flowing now, though unnoticed, "Stop it, stop it, stop it."

Her eyes were rimmed red when she opened them, but the tears had dried. She didn't know how long she had stood there with one cool, clear thought in her head; _I have to find him._

To do what? She wasn't sure right now. She really wasn't.

She crossed the bedroom to the heavy cherry wood door with strange looping patterns carved into it. She grasped the handle, pulled, and gave a small screech when a tired-looking goblin tumbled into her bedroom on it's backing, getting a good look up her skirts before she backed away.

The goblin stood and dusted himself off. He was a small thing, green in color, with a nose that, rather then Hoggle's squashed one, was long and thin. He gave a small bow, "Lady Sarah," he said, "I've been instructed to guard your room, and get you anything you desire."

"I desire an audience with the King." Sarah said evenly, her hands folded in front of her.

The goblins eyes narrowed in confusion, "I was supposed to guard the room."

"You said that."

"I'm not sure if I'm to guard it for you or for him."

Sarah stared, "Excuse me?"

"We all know what happened..." The goblin started.

Sarah felt her insides clench.

"And I know that a spirited woman like yourself won't take something like that likely. I'm afraid you'll do harm to me king, if you pardon me saying so, my lady." He swept himself into another low bow, this time so his nose nearly touched the floor.

Sarah was fuming. Her eyes were still red, and now they were glowing with anger. "Jareth has declared me his equal, has he not?"

Reluctantly, the goblin nodded.

"So that means that Jareth's words are as mine and mine are as his, correct?"

The goblin took a moment to think, then nodded again.

"So... I command you to stand aside, and continue to guard this door, while I find his majesty."

The goblin paused even longer, considering this. Then, with a reluctance that she had never seen in any creature before, stepped aside, "As my lady wishes."

Sarah smiled softly and nodded, "Thank you. Now which way would I find his majesty?"

"In the throne room, probably. If he isn't there, ask someone to assist you, my lady. I have my post."

"Yes, you do." She was about to ask where the throne room was when she realized that she knew. How she knew she didn't know, but she did. She frowned, but started down the left corridor, ignoring the indignant mutterings of the goblin behind her.

* * *

Jareth flew back into his bedroom, resumed his fae form, and started to pace. It was a short pace at first, but it gradually spread to the rest of the room and he was almost doing laps. He supposed if he did this more often he would be in better shape. Then again, he was in pretty good shape as it was. He frowned. What did all that matter? It didn't.

_Sarah_, he thought, _I wish you could find your way to me. I wish we could talk._

The Labyrinth heard him, and granted his wish. For it is in the Labyrinth's power to grant wishes, not in the power of the Goblin King.

* * *

Sarah took many turns. So many she wondered if she would be able to find her way back if the mysterious voice in her head stopped whispering directions. She didn't see a single goblin on her way to Jareth, and was glad. She was afraid they might try and stop her much like the guard at her room had done. If that happened, she might take a lesson or two from Jareth and punt it out of the way.

She reached a heavy oaken door at the end of a long corridor and stopped. The whisperings of directions had stopped with the words_, the door in front of you. Well_, she thought_, might as well try that door. There are no others to be had, and I don't know my way back._ She touched it, and it flew open. She didn't find herself in the throne room, she found herself in Jareth's bedchambers. He looked up, his pacing ceased, surprised. At the look on his face, Sarah didn't feel anything but hatred.

She stepped into the Goblin Kings bedroom, and the doors swung shut behind her.

* * *

Jareth stared at her, and he felt a surge of emotion. Of need to explain himself, to express himself. She wore a dress. He had seen a dress on her but once. And that had been fleeting and almost dream-like. She stood before him, all too real, all too beautiful, and all too pissed off.

_Ah, _he found himself thinking again, almost sarcastically, _such is life._

* * *

**A/N:** Ah! My wrists hurt. I'm writing three stories now. THREE! And none of them are particularly original. Damn it.

... anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. Next one has a lot of going-ons. I don't expect more then four chapters before this story is finished. Yes, you heard me, finished.

**Thanks you muchos to everyone who has reviewed, and see you next time...**

_**Crimsonsympathy**_


	17. Accusations

They stared at each other for a moment, Sarah angry, Jareth feeling confused... lost somehow. Then Sarah closed the distance between them, and slapped him.

Jareth's head snapped to one side and he stayed that way for a pause of a few heartbeats, his cheek numb. Her mismatched eyes were blazing. He turned back slowly to look at her and when he did, she burst into tears.

Jareth didn't know what to do. It wasn't every day he had a sobbing woman on his hands. He was slightly annoyed if not a bit angry about the slap, but he wanted to comfort her. At the same time, he didn't know if she would pull away. He resigned to do nothing, waiting for her to compose herself.

She did, rather quickly. Her hands, which had covered her face as the tears fell, went back to her sides. She stared at him with red-rimmed eyes and asked the eternally impossible question to answer, "Why?"

Jareth said the first thing that came to mind, "I would have told you, but I couldn't." Inwardly, he cringed. This was turning out like the worst Spanish soap opera on earth.

She shook her head and looked at the ground, "So this whole time, eh?"

"Yes," he whispered.

"Gods," she said, mostly to herself, "Why..." she trailed off and stared blankly at his chest, "Why do I still want to touch you?" She gave a short, chortling laugh, "You know, I actually thought that your challenge was to bring a fae into power. That was kind of silly of me, don't you think? I mean, there were hints enough. After you meet up with Dionysus the first time you started acting strangely. More interested in me. Sure, you were cold at some points, but that's just you, isn't it?"

"Sarah—" He started, but she cut him off.

"Or you could have been plotting that from the beginning and he just spurred you on. Or," she looked up at him, tears filling her eyes again, "This was all just some elaborate hoax to get me to sleep with you. It's not beneath you, really, now that I think of it. Last time you would have done anything to get me to fail at your stupid Labyrinth—" Jareth felt the Labyrinth give an indignant sound in his head—"So why should it be different this time? You are, after all, Jareth the fucking Goblin King. Nothing's beneath you."

He stared at her for a moment, and his silence spurred her on.

"And you... I trusted you, you know? Some of those talks that we had at night I told you some things I haven't told anyone else. Was that concern and interest all lies? And what about the shine? Is that just a paltry trick to get me to fall for you? Was everyone in on it? I bet you've shined for people before, or its not real at all."

Jareth felt a painful tug in his stomach at this, but still he was silent.

"And, you know, I think I did fall for you. And that hurts me, Jareth, because... because even when you knew the duel with Dionysus was coming up, you could have told me. You'd have kept me in the dark, wouldn't you? You wouldn't have wanted to risk your skinny hide telling me something like that. I... I thought that we had worked it out, you know? Trust. And I..." tears fell from her eyes, two tears straight down her cheeks, "I loved you. I trusted you."

_Loved_, he thought, _trusted_. They were the only two words he could think of. Damn his still tongue.

She stared at him for a long time, the silence coating them, washing over them. She waited for a response, a retort, something. She waited for him to get angry, or get down on his knees and beg her to understand. She expected accusations or explanations or excuses. She didn't expect silence, but that was all she got.

Sarah shook her head, "Fine." She whispered, looking down. "Just fine." She glanced at him again, "I'm going to marry Michael, Jareth. I wish I was home. Right now."

And just as the last syllable left her lips, she disappeared. The Labyrinth was shifting confusedly in Jareth's head. It wanted her back.

And Jareth did fall to his knees. All those excuses and accusations and explanations came rushing out of his mouth in a sob that sounded barely human. His forehead touched the cold stone floor, and the tears stained it a shiny black. He cried, and whispered over and over again, "I love you, Sarah. I love you."

* * *

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Labyrinth.

**A/N: **um... I'm going on... vacation. I'm not going to have the next chapter up for... a while. My little writer itch just sprang up again for something entirely different. I'll try to finish this, I hope I do, I really do. But it's entirely possible that I won't. Apologies... please don't hurt me...


	18. Wedding Bells

Sarah's gown was white (of course) and hung below her ankles. The sleeves dropped the sides, exposing her white shoulders. A blue fire opal that her father had come across mysteriously on his jog one morning hung around her neck. Glamour hid her single green eye, the new luminescent shine to her skin and the flashes of color in her hair. She stood in front of a three-sided mirror and twirled slowly, examining the dress from all sides. The train was long, but not too long. She didn't need anyone to carry it for her, but it was fashionable. The dress was designed here and there with off-white flowers (mostly roses). It showed off the swell of her breasts, the tapered point of her waist and the curve of her hips. She wore low-heeled white dress shoes and tan panty hose. Her hair was a mass of loose curls, pulled away from her face and falling freely down her back. In an hour and a half, she'd walk back up the aisle as Mrs. Sarah Conroy, her promise to Michael finally fulfilled.

It had been more then two full cycle's of the moon—two and a half months—since she found herself in the living room of Michael and her house. She had taken the time to sit on the couch, bury her head in her hands, and cry. She had thought that she was cried out by that time, but it ended up she could still turn on the waterworks at will.

Michael had come home some three and a half days later, and Sarah felt it almost too easy to drop what she had been thinking about with her time alone and focus on him. Of course she loved him. She had always loved him. All that "in love" talk was just... _hosh-posh_, to quote her late mother. She had gotten carried away in the moment. Her old fairy tale had turned out real. Okay, so she still had a little trouble with that little factoid, but she had been excited. Ecstatic. She thought she had been in love with the blooming Goblin King... Sarah gave a soft snort of laughter at the thought. It seemed ages and ages ago.

But a week ago she had received a shock that had brought her back down from her jubilation of getting married and getting on with her normal life. She had missed two periods. Her stomach clenched now as she thought about waiting in that sterile doctors office, kicking her feet, wondering. The doctor had come in and said the two words that part of her had dreaded, and part of her had wanted. "You're pregnant."

She had always wanted children. But she knew—just _knew_—that it wasn't Michael's child. She chalked it all up to her newfound Fae powers. She dreaded it. Her stomach already swelled just the tiniest bit. She hadn't told Michael yet. What was she going to tell him? He would think it was his. What would he think if he saw his 'child' came with blond hair (his was black), mismatched eyes, strangely glowing skin and magical powers? Sarah wasn't sure she could glamour the child as well. It had been almost second nature to her as soon as she had calmed down enough to embrace her Fae powers. But she didn't know if it extended to the child she now carried.

Sarah both hands on her stomach and looked at them in the mirror. She was with child... the thought was warm, strangely comforting, strangely divine. Her stepmother had found out almost as soon as Sarah had. She had visited her family, and before she had left Judith had pulled her aside. "You're glowing," she said.

For one, frantic second, Sarah had thought she was talking about her new fae skin. "What?"

"Your eyes, dear, your glowing. Are you with child?"

Sarah had almost been relieved to hear those words, and then the reality of it sunk in, "Yes."

Judith had hugged her and, at Sarah's insistence, promised not to tell anyone until after the wedding, when Sarah would announce it herself. "A baby," Sarah whispered, and looked over her shoulder. The little room in the church they had picked was still empty. It was just her and her three mirrors, and the little one. She smoothed her hand over her belly and gooseflesh rose up her arms. Butterfly's sprung up in her stomach and she closed her eyes, breathing deeply. She wasn't sure what she was more nervous about. The child... or the wedding.

* * *

Jareth paced.

Kabira watched him like a cat from a lounge chair in her room. They were deep in the heart of the UnSeelie court, in Jareth's own chambers there. Queen Titania had ordered him there, and he could not refuse her. She was, after all, his Queen. But he had been there for a week, and the short audience he had with her that morning wasn't... wasn't what he had expected.

"The little fae, the Sarah of Aboveground, is your mated pair, correct?" The Queen had asked softly, stroking the white tiger that sat at her feet absently.

"Yes, m'lady," Jareth had answered, on bended knee. He would stay like that for hours—days, centuries—if the Queen did not allow him to rise.

Queen Titania had purred at that, "I am still disappointed that you never glowed for me, Jareth, Goblin King. We would have made quite a pair."

Jareth did not mention that they were cousins. Marrying family members was not strange in the UnSeelie court, even brothers and sister were apt to marry if such was the will of the Goddess. Whomever you glowed for, you married. It was simply the way it was. "M'lady, if I disappoint you, I am most dreadfully sorry."

Queen Titania had sighed and tittered, "No, no, Jareth. I didn't summon you to discuss our old love life, I wish to talk to you about this... Sarah." She paused, "You may rise."

Jareth rose, and he felt his knee give a small creak, "Your majesty," he said, giving a bow of the head.

Queen Titania had one golden eye, one red. Her hair was black and curled, pulled back from her face and tied on top of her head, flowing down her back like a black cloak. She wore a very low-cut white linen dress. Her stomach showed, and if she un-crossed her legs, Jareth had no doubt other, more private things would show themselves. Golden bands adorned her caramel-colored arms, her slender neck, her ears, and a circlet of gold wound around her head. Suspended on this circlet was a ruby pendant, that fell above the middle of her eyebrows. She looked, like always, magnificent.

"This Sarah... Williams, is it?" At Jareth's nod she continued, "She is to be married today, is she not?"

"Yes, m'lady." Jareth had been trying not to think of it. Kabira had been keeping an eye on Sarah—even though Jareth had protested to it, Queen Titania had demanded it—and popped up randomly to announce certain events. But even she didn't know that Sarah was pregnant. Jareth knew, though. Somewhere deep inside, he knew, even though the more refined part of him denied it to the bone.

"You know the rules of the UnSeelie. If she is bound in marriage, you may not have her. Marriage vows are important, even if she is marrying a mere human." Queen Titania massaged the large cats ears, and the tiger looked at her with golden eyes. The Queen smiled at it, and said without looking up, "What are you going to do about it?"

The question took Jareth by surprise, "My Lady?"

"Oh," Queen Titania said, looking up at Jareth and smiling, "If I could make you shine for me, I would, but I cannot. The Goddess has willed that you shine for this woman. I know that even if I try my deepest magic, a part of you will remember her. I love you, Jareth, and I wish to see you happy. The woman makes you happy, even though I envy her."

For Titania to admit of envy was a rare and amazing thing. Jareth merely gaped for a while, then spoke hesitantly, "I was going to do... nothing."

Queen Titania's eyes widened a tad, "You would really do nothing and deny yourself her for your entire lifetime—long as it is?"

"Yes, if she so wills it. If she wants me, she will have me. I will not force myself upon her." Jareth spoke with mounting confidence. His Queen wasn't so intimidating if you knew what to say, or what subjects not to touch.

The Queen shook her head, "My... What a ruler you would make."

"I am a King, my Queen."

Titania smile, "Yes," she said almost absently, "But what could you do in my place..." she stopped for a moment, staring into her tigers eyes, then abruptly stared at him again, "I command you one thing, Jareth."

Jareth tried not to raise an eyebrow and forced his face to look bland and uninterested, "Anything, my Queen." He gave another small bow.

"Speak to her once before she is forever out of your reach. Even if her partner dies, she's still considered wed-locked, and if you interfere before then, you will be cast out of Underground. You understand the law, don't you?"

"Yes, m'lady."

"Then I ask you not only as a Queen, but as an old lover, a friend, and part of your family. Try once before she's gone. For our sake, as well as yours. Talk to her once more."

And then the audience had been at an end, and Jareth had found his way back into the black marble-lined suite that made up his rooms at UnSeelie. His mother had snuck her way in and sat down without saying a word. Jareth thought, and pondered, and brooded, but couldn't think of anything to say to the woman whom he had given his heart. It seemed impossible, untouchable, but somehow irresistible. Would he be able to say anything intelligent? Would it matter? Would she hurt him again? Would she embrace him? He didn't know, not the answers or the questions, really.

And so he paced.

* * *

Michael sat in a room with his buddies and talked. He had three of his best friends with him (the other couldn't make it, since he was out of town on business) and they were all sharing punch and talking about girlfriends. Michael was the first to take the step to marriage. His friends were commencing to tell him everything he'd be missing. They had had their bachelor party the night before, and Michael had taken a long hot shower to get the scent of one of the strippers off of him. She had worn a very heavy but quite intoxicating perfume all over her body, and most every part of her body had been all over him at some point. No intercourse to speak of, but what they did had definitely been defined as cheating.

Michael had cheated on Sarah before, but only 'lightly', as he liked to call it. His friends encouraged him, and it made it all the more fun. Sarah, of course, was oblivious. And even though he loved that woman, he couldn't get the thought of that blond stripper out of his head.

"Michael, buddy," a guy named Travis said, shoving his shoulder, "How were those girls last night, eh? Have any good ones?"

Michael shook his head, smiling, "Nah... just some light stuff." He looked behind Travis, who was sitting with his back to the door, and threw his empty punch cup into the trash with a light cheer and a "nothing but net" comment. His friends, of course, ignored him. Mostly.

"It's ALL light for you, man," William (call me Will) grumbled, "I sometimes wonder what you would define as _heavy_ cheating."

Jay, the last of the three, joined in the laughter, "Nah, man, you went off with that blond. She was _gorgeous,_ man. How was she?"

Michael smiled, "Come on guys, on my wedding day? You shouldn't be talking about such things."

"You shouldn't be _doing_ such things," Will said, taking a swig from a pocket-sized vodka bottle he had had in his pocket. Will was a notorious drunk. Michael frowned at him.

"I'm not going to do it anymore. She's made an honest man out of me."

"Ri-ight," Jay smiled, "I'll believe it when I see it."

"Gotta agree with him, man," Travis leered, "Though with the piece of ass your tying yourself to, I personally wouldn't mind the straight and narrow."

They all laughed, Michael the loudest, "Can't have her now, buddy, you missed your chance."

"Awwww..." they said in unison.

"Now, come on, stop talking about it. I don't want anyone eavesdropping on our conversation."

They all glanced towards the door but too late. Sarah's father had already ducked out of sight.

* * *

Sarah started when her father burst into the room she had set up as her dressing chambers. She was still standing in front of the mirrors when he rushed up to her and repeated everything he had heard downstairs with her soon-to-be-husband.

Sarah couldn't believe she found herself thinking, _shows me what I know about sex-drive._

When her father had finished, Sarah was sitting on a bench next to the wall, her head in her hands. She was surprisingly calm about the information, as though she had been expecting it. When her father patted her back, she lifted her head, "I need some time alone. The wedding will go on as planned, I think. Don't say anything."

Her father gave her a look that meant he obviously disapproved, but she cut him off, "I know you mean well, but let me handle this my own way. Please."

"Okay, honey, I just don't want you getting hurt." Her father hugged her and kissed her cheeks, "I love you."

"I love you too, daddy. See you in ten minutes, okay?"

"Okay."

Her father left, and Sarah stood again. Her hands found their way to her stomach as she rubbed the surprise there. What would her family think? Her friends? She had a friend that had two children already, but she was the same friend that dropped out of High School and was a drug addict. She hadn't talked to her in a while and last she had heard, she was going into rehab. Sarah shook her head. Sometimes she got a little too angry about it. She didn't need these thoughts now.

Sarah sighed and pressed on her belly. It was firm, but obviously rounder if you knew what you were looking for. She was still thin, but... there was something different. By the way she held herself. She stared at her hands in the mirror, and smiled. Maybe everything would turn out. Sometimes it did.

* * *

Jareth motioned to his mother, "What news?"

"She's to be married in less then an hour. Titania grows restless." Kabira flicked at her blue robes. Her hair was loose and curled, much like Sarahs. Her hair, though, fell to her ankles. Her ears were oddly pointed behind these curls. They were adorned with silver loops and chains, as though her entire ear was made out of silver jewelry. Kabira was dressed for something. Jareth had no doubt it was Sarah's wedding, even though no one in Underground was celebrating. Kabira had dressed up to bait her son. She did it well.

Jareth nodded, "Out. I'm going to contact Sarah." He made a twirling motion with his hand, as though saying 'and hurry it up a bit'.

Kabira looked like she was going to argue, but she didn't. "As you wish. Good luck."

"Thank you."

Kabira nodded and disappeared. Jareth conjured a crystal and turned it into a full-length mirror on silver legs. His reflection was slightly distorted by the crystal that the mirror was made out of, but he could still make out most of his features. He flicked his hand at his clothes, and they were exchanged for a leather vest, white poets shirt, black leather gloves, gray breaches and black boots. He held another crystal in his hand that he twirled absently, and then he touched the mirror. The surface shimmered for a moment, like it was water, before turning cloudy. He closed his eyes, and concentrated on Sarah.

* * *

Sarah barely noticed with the hands she was staring at turned from her own lily-white ones to the leather-clad digits of the Goblin King. She looked over her shoulder and wasn't surprised when she didn't see him there. She turned back to the mirror, and tried to breathe right. Why did he have to dress in such tight clothing? Then another thought: Did he know she was pregnant with his child?

She stared at the Goblin King and felt her glamour die in his presence, as though his own power equalized and destroyed it. Her skin shimmered, her hair shined, her eyes glowed with green and brown fire. He stared at her, a perfection in white, and she stared at him. For a while there was only silence between them, and then Jareth said, hesitantly, "I'm... sorry."

* * *

**A/N:** ...((sleepy groan))... oh... gods... I'm... so... tired... ((grunt))

I would like to thank everyone that reviewed. You guys are awesome.

I'd also like to say that I'm almost done. The little 'itch' was a false alarm. Blast. All the original character are in the back of my mind drinking gin, smoking cigars and playing poker. Eros the druid is up by $734, but Antonio the vampire is coming 'round to kick his ass. I have my personal bets on Kozue of Endless, who seems to be paring up with Annie Morgan of Haven and Sasha of Endless, and I have no doubt that they're cheating. But cheaters often win.

We're going to see a little more of Michael next chapter, I'm sure. See some of his true side. Growl in general direction of Michael, who just recently showed me his true colors. Blast you.

And so it almost ends, my friends. And then check back in a few weeks and I should have the completely re-edited version up and running. I know that there are a few things that are off, spelling errors, poorly written chapters. Possible new 8th chapter, and another more in-depth of their second day IN the Labyrinth. Not sure... dunno... gonna finish it, I know that now. Sorry for the false alarm. Toodles, everyone, I'll be seeing you next chapter in a not-so-lengthy authors note.

**Always,**

_**Crimsonsympathy**_


	19. A Wedding, A Baby and Ten Months Later

Early Spring.

Diary,

Well, it's been a long time, hasn't it? I haven't had much time for writing since having the little one. His name is Richard and he's quite the little trouble maker. I didn't realize how much trouble I'd be in with a baby fae running around the castle. Except he doesn't run. Or rarely. Rather, he floats.

Heh, you must be wondering what the hell I'm talking about. Last time I wrote here, I was talking about my wedding and how wonderful my fiancé was and blah, blah, blah. Well, that all went down the drain as they say. I'm now living with the Goblin King. Hm, how to explain? I don't think I will. Maybe one day I'll write it down.

I've introduced the goblins to cleaning supplies. At first they wished to eat it and now they're finding the wonders of cleaning up after themselves. Though to ask of them to take a bath would be a mortal insult, so I'll just have to learn how to live with the stench. At least the castle doesn't smell like rotting fish and gym socks all the time now. However sometimes they get a little overzealous and I have to remind them that I cannot return to Aboveground too often. I'm still not quite used to having people stumble all over themselves to bow at me... it's rather strange. Jareth seems to coax them on behind my back. He does it just to annoy me, I know it. Once I was trapped in the library for two hours trying to find my way around the little creatures, who kept on stopping in front of me and bowing, and then refusing to move. Someone must have given them the impression that if they moved it would be disrespectful. I finally had to climb over the lot. I wonder if they're still there.

My duties as Goblin Queen have certainly been interesting. I generally just get them out of trouble—which they get in quite a lot, you have no idea how many copper pots I've had to pry off heads in the last few months—and give them little trinkets and let them be on their own. Goblins seem to do fine if you just don't interfere much. They get confused too easily. If you try and help them it all ends up quite disastrously.

Sir Didymous is the head of my royal guard which consists of... him. I can generally take care of myself but when I venture outside the castle he insists on coming with me. Nevertheless I've found many secret passageways and have only been caught sneaking out once. Jareth says I'm just as bothersome as his son.

Ludo is in charge of new construction. Many goblin homes had been demolished by Dionysus's brief reign. He's erected fabulous new places out of rocks, and we've had many complaints from the more earthen dwelling creatures, wondering who's going to help them. They'll figure it out, though. Like I said, goblins are generally better left to their own devices. Just as long as they don't try and hurt people.

Hoggle, however, has refused a higher post. His wounds have all healed but he's still covered with white scars all over. He says he's the only one that survived when Dionysus set his sights on them, and he seems mighty proud. I've heard he's been rather lucky with the ladies lately. Perhaps its some sign of goblin heroism. He still finds time to see me, though. We meet at least twice a week to palaver. He's rather fond of my cooking. In fact, many of the goblins are.

Richard, the little tyke, is only three months old. And such a hassle. He's growing faster then I think is right. Jareth assures me that it is normal. I asked him if it would slow down, and he said, "Once he reaches the mentality and size of a ten-year-old, he'll actually stop growing so fast. In fact, it'll be about two or three years until he reaches 'eleven'." I thought this odd. I never had this problem. Jareth says it's because I do have some sort of human blood in me. When I asked if that would hurt my chances of immortality, he said no.

Immortality. Hm. Best not think on it now. It still spooks me a bit.

Jareth is still... Jareth.

How do you explain our relationship? Minutes after he showed up in my mirror my family came bursting into my dressing room to find me gone, only a note remaining. "_I'm pregnant, but not with Michael's child. I'm going somewhere safe with the father to have it. I'll see you all soon. I love you, Sarah."_ It had been the only thing that I could think of to say.

I have seen them. Do see them. I've been Aboveground at least two dozen times in the last ten months I've been living in the Goblin city. They all think I've eloped with a rich man that lives in England (I seem to have picked up some of his accent, apparently) and sometimes spirits me away on his private jet to visit my family. Last time I went I took Jareth with me. My father had told everyone about what he had overheard and they all received Jareth with open arms and small threats of what they would do if he followed my previous fiancé's transgressions. He assured them he would be honorable.

Last I heard of Michael he was marrying one of the strippers from his bachelor party. Small loss. I never really loved him. I'm not hurt by it. As I see it, destiny had a different path for me.

I love Jareth. Gods, I love him so much. When he showed up it was like someone or something had answered the deepest desire of my heart. We wed... oh, two weeks after he pulled me through the mirror. I was wed by Queen Titania, the Queen of the Fae. My Queen. She's beautiful—and apparently she used to be Jareth's lover (and his cousin)—and she treated me kindly. I was accepted as part of the UnSeelie court. We don't go there often but we're visited by other members of Fae royalty. Queen Titania says she understands our obligation to our sub-kingdom and to our son. She has warned us that if we don't visit at least for the major fae holiday's she'll be displeased, and she expects to see more of us once Richard is grown.

I haven't seen much of Jareth's mother. Apparently she and my husband have... issues. Jareth says that's putting it lightly.

So... Queen. Yup, Goblin Queen. Of course, in the UnSeelie court I'm just tenth in line to the Throne. It's just a job, really. Some politics involved. I love Richard. I love Jareth. I love all my friends. And, surprisingly, I don't miss Aboveground much. It was OK, always was, but never really this... in tune. I feel like this is the first place I could seriously call 'home'.

Ah! My hand cramps. There he is, too. Jareth just walked in the door. I'm sitting at his desk, I hope he doesn't mind. There, there's that smile. Gods, can I really love someone this much?

-Sarah

* * *

**A/N:** That's it for "Perfect".

I apologize for the time it took for me to get this final chapter up. It's kind of shabby, but that little Jareth demon that I griped about in my previous Authors Notes? He's gone. Replaced, actually. I've finally got original thoughts again. And for those of you that have read both this story and "Lemon Tree", that's it for that story for a while, too. My seven-year-long-story has come back to plague me and I'm afraid it takes the spotlight on all things.

One day I'll get around to re-editing this story, so please be patient with spelling and grammar errors until then. However long it'll be.

That's a wrap people. Adieu and goodnight.

**_CrimsonSympathy_**


End file.
